Deimeikageda (The sun nation)
by A-Kabby-K
Summary: After receiving an unexpected proposal from the Sun nation, a small group of skypeople leave for Delphis, the capital of the grounder's sun nation clan. Reluctantly, Abby and Marcus agreed to a fallacious plan to prevent any diplomatic incident. A plan which will make them realize that the tension between them might be a little more sexual than they thought...
1. Chapter 1

**DEIMEIKAGEDA**

 **After receiving an unexpected proposal from the Sun nation, a small group of skypeople leave for Delphis, the capital of the grounder's sun nation clan. Reluctantly, Abby and Marcus agreed to a fallacious plan to prevent any diplomatic incident. A plan which will make them realize that the tension between them might be a little more sexual than they thought...**

 **Notes: This fic takes place after the season 2. No city of light, no Pike, no kabby kiss for now, nothing of the season 3. This is a crack fic, so it could be a little "out of character" even if I do my best to keep their personality. Clarke had leave the camp for some months, but she is back now.**

 **Thank you so much to Tinkbooklover for her help !**

 **Chapter 1 :**

« I shouldn't be here,» Abby muttered for the fiftieth time since they left Arkadia.

She was sitting in the passenger seat of the rover, her arms crossed over her chest and her skin shining with sweat due to the sweltering heat of the desert. They had been on the road for three days now and she neither enjoyed the travel nor the destination.

Since they left the Rover had broken two times and if at first, the chancellor didn't want Raven to come along because of her leg, she had definitely changed her mind now. Indeed, the sand was so fine that it seeped into everything and the mechanic was the only person able to fix things like this. The rover wasn't the only one to be indisposed because of the sand. Abby felt like each of the fold of her skin were itching and she had never felt so dirty in all her life.

«As I said before, Jackson can perfectly handle the camp. He isn't your student anymore, he is a doctor now, and a good one. You taught him well,» Marcus tried to reassure her as his hand left the wheel momentarily to lay gently on her knee.

A bitter smile tugged slightly on the corner of the chancellor's lips. Stoking her ego wouldn't make her become more compliant. In fact, she was really worried about the camp but really she just didn't want to be there at all.

«Kane is right Abby. Besides, you have to give them an answer personally, especially if it's a no,» said Lincoln who was sitting in the back of the rover.

«If? Of course, it's a no,» Abby exclaimed as she turned around and gave him a dirty look.

«Of course,» Lincoln nodded with a slight smirk as some chuckle was heard in the car.

«That's not funny,» Abby took offense as she gave Marcus a withering glare.

«No it's not, » Marcus agreed but she saw him bite his lower lips to hold back another chuckle.

«Come on mom. You should be flattered,» Clarke said with an amused smile on her lips.

«Flattered? Are you kidding me?» Abby exclaimed with an astonished look on her face.

«First, the prince is young enough to be my son. Secondly, we are not in the Dark Ages anymore. No offense Lincoln but arranged marriage are...well, that's not the way we do things. And thirdly I've only met him once and we've barely spoken. That's not funny or flattering at all,» Abby asserted with annoyance.

«Yeah, I see your point but from their point of view, it's a great honor. The Sun nation is very...well, very warm with people from other clans but they only marry each other,» Lincoln explained, his eyes suddenly more shifty.

«What do you mean by warm with people from other clans,» Abby asked with a frown.

The grounder let out a little chuckle as he exchanged a knowing look with Clarke.

«I...», he started to speak but Raven cut him off.

«He means having sex,» the mechanic clarified with a smirk, stretching out between the two front seats to take the bottle of water near Abby's legs.

«Oh god,» Abby exclaimed as she turned around again to face the road, her hand on her forehead.

«Marcus can confirm, right?» Raven added maliciously, giving a kick on Marcus' seat.

The chancellor felt her heart skip a beat in her chest.

«Wait. What?» Abby asked as her eyes traveled from the mechanic to Marcus.

«Oh, oh, trouble in paradise between mom and dad,» the mechanic whispered causing some new giggles in the back of the rover.

«Stop calling us like that,» the chancellor reprimanded her before staring at her councilor.

«Marcus what does she mean?», she asked him with a hint of reproach in her voice.

«Nothing I swear,» he defended a little too quickly.

Abby kept staring at him and raised an eyebrow.

«It's just-», he started to say but he stopped to let out an embarrassed sigh.

«Thanks Raven,» he mumbled between his teeth.

«You're welcome,» the girl answered with a grin.

Abby was still looking at him, waiting for the story.

«Okay, the truth is that at the banquet, the queen's sister asked me to...well, she made explicit advances to me but I politely declined of course. Nothing happened,» he finally explained, his forehead covered by more drops of sweat than a few seconds earlier.

Abby blinked a few times. She opened her mouth to speak but she changed her mind at the last moment and shook her head instead. The story made her feel something strange in the pit of her belly, something unexpected and not appropriate. Something that a chancellor wasn't allowed to feel toward her councilor. Marcus probably guessed what she was thinking because after having taken some look at her, a slight grin stretched discretely on his lips.

Since they landed, and even more since they came back from Mount Weather, the relationship between them had changed. Of course, they still argued but in a different way. It was like they were now able to listen each other, to understand each others arguments and admit when they were wrong. Furthermore, Abby saw him more and more often like a partner and not just as her councilor. During the weeks when Clarke was missing he had been an unfailing support. When he wasn't there to make sure she was okay, he was leading a mission to find her daughter. To be honest, she didn't know if she would have been able to have gotten through it without him.

«I heard her say that she wanted to feel his beard o-», Raven started to speak again but she didn't have time to end her sentence.

«Raven !» both Abby and Marcus exclaimed at the same time.

«Okay. Okay, I'll shut up,» Raven resigned herself.

After that, everybody remained quiet except for Lincoln who told them about the Sun nation culture. According to him, they weren't really good on a battlefield but they had the best spies and murderers. He told them how the Sun nation had won some war by assassinating the leader of the other clan and how they were known for possessing the best poisons and biological weapons. They were the only ones to live in the dead zone, in a former holiday complex. With some embarrassment, he also explained that they were known to be very liberated and that fidelity wasn't a part of the wedding vows. According to them, sex was the best way to celebrate and keep the peace.

Contrary to Abby and Marcus who felt more and more uncomfortable, Raven seemed very excited about this little trip. In fact, she even made some comment that made Abby roll her eyes and Kane clear his throat with discomfort.

«When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right?», Raven said with a conniving wink toward Bellamy and Clarke.

«We don't need any diplomatic incidents Raven,» Marcus warned her seriously.

«Don't worry Kane, I'll do my best to keep the peace,» she answered with an impish voice.

Marcus and Abby both let out a sigh but didn't say anything.

In turn, Clarke told them that the Sun nation had the best tailor and that almost all the outfit worn by the clan's leader at summits, came from their city: Delphis. She told them that during her 'healing trip', as she called it, she had met a woman from the Sun nation who had explained to her that they could live in the desert thanks to an underground river that runs below the city.

Kane and Raven seemed to be very interested in hearing how these people had managed to use former oil pumps to ensure a steady supply of water but Abby remained quiet, her arms crossed even tighter over her chest and her eyes fixed on the sand all around them. To be honest, since Lexa's betrayal she was even more distrustful of grounders. The relationship between Arkadia and the Trikru was cordial, almost friendly thanks to Marcus and Clarke but Abby knew that the peace was hanging by a thread. She also couldn't forget the dirty looks that some of the clans' leaders had given her at the Polis summit a few months ago.

Around one hour later, Octavia appeared on her horse behind a sand dune and signaled them to stop the car. She told them that the wind turbine indicated by the messenger of the Sun nation as a safe place for camp was about two miles away. The sun was still high in the sky but it would be more prudent to spend the night there. The sandstorms could be treacherous. Besides, Delphis wasn't much further and if they broke the camp soon, tomorrow morning they would be able to arrive in the city by the middle of the day.

When the tents were finally set up and the fire was burning, Octavia and Lincoln asked Marcus to come with them to check the area to make sure it was safe. Abby stayed with Clarke, Bellamy and Raven. They started to make dinner but soon, Clarke put the potato she was peeling on the table and stared at her mother.

«Are you okay honey?», Abby asked her with a frown.

«Yes, yes I'm Okay. It's just...Can you put the knife down for a moment and sit, I have something to tell you,» Clarke said by taking her mother's hand to pull her toward the fire.

«You're scaring me, Clarke, what's going on?» Abby asked as she watched her daughter sit down under the cover near the flames.

«Nothing bad I promise but, please, sit,» Clarke answered, tapping her hand next to her.

Abby finally did as the girl asked, still worried.

«Okay,» Clarke started before taking a deep breath.

«Don't be mad but…. Well… Lincoln think that the Sun nation might be offended by your rejection. So he well…. he thinks that it would be better if we and you said that Marcus and you are well...you know… engaged,» she explained with a slight wince.

Abby blinked a several time as the words started to make sense in her mind.

«What? You're kidding?», she finally exclaimed, shaking her head.

«Oh come on Abby, it won't be a big deal, you two already act as if you were married,» said Raven with a smirk.

«No, we don't,» Abby took offense, eyes wide open.

«Really? So I imagined the eye-sex, the « _I'm okay if Marcus is okay with it too_ », the unnecessary touches every moment you can?» Raven mocked her, rolling her eyes.

«We don't...», the chancellor started to deny while Raven's smile widened.

«Clarke?» Abby asked searching for her daughter's help.

The latter let out a chuckle and shrugged.

«Sorry mom but Raven's right,» she answered with an amused smile on her lips.

This time, Abby turned her head toward Bellamy but he raised his hand in front of him.

«With all due respect, I agree with her,» he said a little embarrassed.

Abby glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest. Deep down, a part of herself knew the kids were right, or at least not completely wrong but she wasn't ready to admit it out loud. She was aware of the way her eyes sometimes landed a little too long on Marcus' lips or of the way she felt shivers run down her spine when his hand touched her. But anyway, he was Kane, or rather Marcus now, and she was Abby. She was the chancellor and he was her councilor. There was so many ghosts between them, so many years of hate and loathing on both sides.

«Marcus won't agree,» she finally objected, unable to find anything else to say.

This time Raven guffawed.

«Oh, he will agree, for sure. Look, he finally will be allowed to touch your ass instead of your shoulder-» the mechanic started to say but she was cutting off by some exclamation.

«Raven!» Abby shouted at her.

«Raven, please you're really not helping,» Clarke sighed, shaking her head, desperate.

«That was gross,» Bellamy told the girl as he threw her some peeling.

«But that was true,» Raven retorted with a grin.

«Stop it! All of you. Stop it right now,» Abby exclaimed as she stood up, her fingers rubbing her temples.

«Hey look! The groom is coming,» the mechanic whispered before giggling, a few seconds later.

«Shut up Raven,» the chancellor mumbled between her teeth.

Abby looked up at Marcus, the way he was offering her a shy smile told her that he was now also aware of Lincoln's plan.

«So...they told you?» he asked her as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

Abby nodded, biting her lower lips.

«Please tell me you said no,» she pleaded after a few seconds of embarrassed silence.

Marcus lowered his gaze and put his hands in his pockets.

«It would be weird for sure, but-» he started to speak again, his gaze fixed on the tips of his shoes.

Suddenly remembering the kids presence he stopped to speak and cleared his throat.

«Guys, can we have a moment please?» he asked them.

«Of course,» Bellamy said as he grabbed Raven's arm to pull her with him.

Abby swallowed hard and started to play absentmindedly with the ring between her breasts as she watched the kids walk away.

«I think Lincoln is right,» Marcus finally said seriously when the others were far away enough.

Abby stared at him and opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She didn't expect him to agree with this stupid plan.

«Please, listen,» he pleaded her as he put his hand on her forearm like he always did when he wanted her to calm down.

Abby stared at his hand as Raven's previous words came back to her.. « _He finally will be allowed to touch your ass instead of your shoulder_ ». She flinched a little under his touch but fortunately she was able to keep a straight face.

«Look, we can't afford to irritate any other grounder clans. This proposal seems to be very important to them and there is a possibility that they will take offense to a negative answer. They might not understand. This fake engagement seems to be a good plan and we don't have to anything we don't want to do. I mean, we're not teenagers we don't have to kiss in front of everyone or touch each other like well….you know what I mean,» he argued seriously before offered her another shy smile.

Abby stared at him, considering his words. Being already engaged was, with no doubt, the best reason to say no to this proposal, besides, Marcus was right, they were way too old for any public making out. They could handle that, she could handle that.

«This is madness but...well okay, let's do it,» she finally accepted, shrugging.

«Okay,» Marcus nodded.

As she always did when she was nervous or worried, Abby started to play with Jake's ring and the contact of the cold metal against her fingers made her think about something.

«Do you think we should...,» she started to ask, pointed out the ring by a look at it.

«No !», Marcus answered a little too abruptly.

«I mean, it belongs to Jake, I could never, no...no rings are okay, it's not like if we could go to the jewelry shop,» he specified in a softer tone.

«Yes, you're right, but do you think it would be better if...if I ask Clarke to keep them?» Abby asked as she touched her own ring around her finger.

«Your choice. They know that Clarke is your daughter and that she's not mine so it wouldn't be strange if you choose to keep them. You know, if we really were a couple I would never ask you to take them off. I mean, Jake is a part of you, you loved him and you always will so...,» Marcus answered, his eyes becoming more and more shifty.

Abby felt her heart unexpectedly tighten in her chest. His words did something to her but she couldn't have explained what. In a way, it felt strange to hear him talking about what he would or wouldn't do if they were a couple and for some time Abby couldn't help but wonder if he had ever thought about that. The thought made the pit of her belly clench a little so she forced herself to stop thinking about that.

«Well, as I said, it's your choice,» he concluded, squeezing her arm softly.

«Okay,» Abby breathed with a smile.

«I'll go tell the kids,» he said before turning around.

«Marcus,» she called after him without thinking.

«Thank you,» was all she succeeded in saying when he turned to look at her.

«For what?» he asked, raising an interrogative eyebrow.

She remained speechless a little. _Thank you for understanding what those rings mean to me. Thank you for telling me that you'll never ask me to take them off, no matter what. Thank you for being you._

«Just thank you,» she said with a shy smile at the corner of her lips.

Marcus stared at her a second and then nodded.

«You're welcome Abby,» he said with the special look he always kept for her, only her.

During the dinner, the kids hadn't stopped joking about the fake engagement. Marcus hadn't seemed to be really bothered by it but Abby had soon become less and less comfortable. She could barely look at Marcus and she couldn't help blushing at almost all of Raven's words. It could have been funny if the most of it wasn't true... if the day where Octavia had found her staring at a shirtless Marcus had never existed, or if the night where Marcus had punched one of his guards for having said something rude about her had never happened.

Between two laugh, Clarke had proposed that they had been engaged for two months but that they had only made it public a week after the summit. Everyone agreed and Abby took it as an opportunity to go to sleep.

Once Abby had settled for the night, she heard Clarke enter the tent and she felt her lay next to her. Abby turned around to face her and offered her a tender smile.

«Are you okay honey?», she asked softly.

The girl nodded as she crawled under her sleeping bag.

«Yeah,» she answered with a smile.

«And about the plan?», Abby specified before biting her lower lip.

Even if it was a fake engagement, Abby couldn't help but worry a little about her daughter's feelings. They still haven't spoken about Jake's death since that day at TonDC. Abby had tried several times to broach the subject but Clarke had always ended the conversation even before it started.

«It's a good plan mom,» Clarke sighted.

«Yes, but that's not..., I mean, I don't want you to feel bad about what the others say... You know, about Marcus and I...That's not...», Abby started to explain but she was cut off by Clarke's hand on her arm.

«Don't worry, whether it's true or not, I'm okay with it,» the girl said before leaving a gentle kiss on her forehead and turning around.

Abby remained quiet a few seconds, considering her daughter's words. « _Whether it's true or not_ ». Did her daughter just say that she would be okay if she and Marcus...was she just okay with the joke or did she really believe that there was something between them? Thousands of questions were invading her thoughts but she was interrupted by the girl's voice.

«Dad would have wanted you to move on,» Clarke added in a low voice, her back to Abby.

A sad smile stretched Abby's lips at the mention of Jake. Clarke was right, she knew it. In a way, she could almost hear Jakes voice in her head telling her that. On the Ark, she would have answered that she never would, that she didn't want to move on but now...Now, on the earth, with this new life in front of her, she might consider it.

«You too,» she finally said back, thinking about Finn, as she raised her hand to gently stroke the girl's hair.

«I know,» Clarke whispered.

«Good night mom,» the girl added after a few seconds before letting out a sleepy sigh.

«Good night sweetheart,» Abby said back with a tender smile on her lips.


	2. Chapter 2

**Again, thank you so much to Tinkbooklover for her help ! If you are interested you can find my aesthetic for this fic on my tumblr : tagged/deimeikageda I know that my trigedasleng probably sucks but I do my best ^^ Please, feel free to tell me what you think :)**

 **Chapter 2 :**

As expected, they arrived at Delphis shortly after noon. The city was lost between sand mountains and from the Rover all they could see were high stone walls and a building in the center, overlooking the area.

Lincoln gave them his last recommendations and told them that they should leave the rover outside the walls, just like the weapons. Raven tried to object, arguing that she won't be the one who would extract this piece of junk from the sand at the end of this trip but the grounder remained strong in his opinion: no Rover and no weapons in the city before being allowed to get them in.

Reluctantly, Raven finally conceded to let Bellamy carry her up to the wide doors of the city and everyone started to walk toward the front gate. The sand was unstable and twice Marcus had to catch Abby's elbow to prevent her from falling.

Lincoln was leading the way but once he was around ten feet from the entrance he stopped to let Abby pass.

The chancellor took several steps alone toward the doors and saw two warriors at the top, on the rampart. She hesitated a moment and then turned her head, seemingly looking for support. Immediately Marcus took a step toward her and put his hand on her lower back.

«It's okay Abby. Just repeat what Lincoln taught you,» he encouraged her in a low voice.

Abby took a deep breath and then nodded. It was easy to say for him, he was a natural but despite her best efforts, the chancellor was still unable to make a sentence by herself.

«Ai laik Abi kom Skaikru. Ai gaf in hit op oyu haihefa,» she recited in a loud voice. _I'm Abby from the sky people. I want to meet your king._

«Almost perfect,» Marcus whispered in her ear with a proud smile at the corner of his lips.

«We were expecting you, Moon people,» answered one of the warriors.

The name made Abby frown. She looked at Lincoln who merely shrugged.

«Slak dou,» yelled the other warrior. _Open the doors._

The doors opened with a loud rumble. Two women were standing in the middle of a long pathway in front of them. They were young, probably around twenty. They were dressed with the same white, long and light dresses. A gold-colored ribbon was embroidered along the bottom of their breast and around their neck. Their shoulders were bare and their cleavage was impressive. The swell of their breasts were shining with sweat and glitter dust. Their long hair was braided down their backs. One of them had hair almost white and her eyes were wavered between blue and purple. The other had dark brown hair and her skin was suntanned. The latter also had an impressive tattoo along her right arm which looked like lace stitched on her skin.

«Monin Natshanakru,» the blond girl said, offering a sweet smile to Bellamy.

Abby saw Raven and Clarke rolling ther eyes because of the stupid smile which was now stretching on the boy's lips.

«Welcome, Moon people,» Lincoln translated before exchanging a few sentence with the two grounders girls.

At first, Abby tried to understand the words but quickly she realized it wasn't going to happen so she couldn't help but look around her. The pathway was bordered by shrubs as green as the trees around Arkadia. A trickle of water was running along a gutter on both sides of the pathway and suddenly the chancellor felt the need to slap some water on her face. The heat was suffocating. Her jeans and her shirt were stuck to her body like a second skin and for a moment, she almost longed for the cold of space.

«The king and the queen are waiting for us,» Lincoln told her as the two girls encouraged them to follow them by a wave of the hand.

The group started to walk on the cobbled streets between many little houses. The walls were worn but the architecture was still magnificent. A sun was carved on each wooden door and multicoloured curtains were hung from the windows. Soon, whispers were heard all around them and people started to come out from their house.

Unconsciously Abby moved closer to Marcus. He was walking with a bright smile, his gaze landing on every stone, on every face, on every nook.

He felt her arm brush slightly against his and it shook him out of his contemplation. Like each member of the group Abby was looking all around her but he recognized her expression. She was worried.

«It's okay Abby,» he whispered, leaning a little toward her ear.

«We are their guests» he added by squeezing her fingers softly.

«I know,» she answered with a nod.

For a second Marcus considered keeping her hand in his. After all, they were supposed to be engaged and to be completely honest, he liked that. He liked to feel her close to him, to feel the softness of her skin, to feel her small fingers intertwined with his. Once, he had held her hand for hours and he had refused to let it go until he was sure she was safe. He was about to reach for her palm but she suddenly let out a gasp.

They both turned around at the same time and Marcus saw a little girl tugging at Abby's shirt.

«Yu kom op natshana?», asked the grounder child with a shy smile.

Abby stared at her a second and then turned her head toward Marcus. Her mouth was half-open and she was, with no doubt, asking quietly for his help.

«She wants to know if you come from the moon,» he translated with a soft laugh.

«Oh,» she breathed before looking at the girl again and shaking her head.

Marcus bent down a little to face the child.

«Em laik haiplana kom natshana,» he said and the girl's smile got bigger. _She is the queen of the moon._

«Em ste meizen, nami?», he added in a lower tone. _She is beautiful, isn't she?_

The little girl nodded and offered Abby a shy look before running away.

«What did you say to her?», the chancellor asked him as they started to walk again, toward the rest of the group.

Marcus shrugged and offered her an impish smile.

«You would have known if you were more attentive in Lincoln's lessons,» he answered playfully.

«But I am,» she retorted by giving him a gentle slap on the arm.

«If you say so,» he mocked her gently.

Abby was about to answer him but they stepped around the corner of the street, they both rendered speechless. The building they could saw from the Rover was now standing in front of them. It was a palace with imposing columns which framed the front gate. There were arches everywhere, on all floors. Most of the once glass windows were broken and a part of the building was collapsed but it was still breathtaking. In front of it, there was a giant hole which might have been a swimming-pool before the bombs hit it but which was now used as a market place. Many stalls were set up there, filled with food, clothes, objects and flasks of all kind and all colors. Compared to this city, Polis seemed now almost trivial.

«Beja, mafta ai op,» said the woman with the tattoo while they were all stuck in place. _Please, follow me._

Reluctantly the group skirted the marketplace to climb the few stairs which led to the front door of the big building.

Once they were inside, Marcus couldn't help but hold his breath. A huge sun made from recycled gold metal was facing the entrance at the back of what seemed to be the throne room, according to the two wonderful seats which were overhanging the place. It looked like it could contain a thousand people, at least. The painting on the walls and the architecture were, with no doubt, similar to a middle-east palace, but there was something different, something indefinable which made him think about the grounders culture. It was maybe the way creepers were surrounding the column or the way daggers were upholstering the walls, he couldn't say. A thousand of candles were lighting the room and the smell of flowers were filling the atmosphere.

«We should defiantly move here,» whispered Raven, her mouth wide-open as if she was in front of a technological marvel.

«Monin, ai lukot,» a voice suddenly resonated in the back of the room.

Marcus turned his head and saw around ten people enter the room from a back door. The group was led by a man and a woman he recognized as the king and the queen of the Sun nation. He had met them a few month ago at Lexa's summit. The king was dressed in a beige coat. An embroidered shawl was covering his left shoulder and arm. His dark hair curled along his temples. He was clean-shaven and his eyes were so light that they were almost shining in the darkness of the room. His wife was standing next to him, a bright smile on her full lips. She was wearing a dress, as dark as her long hair, which didn't leave much up to the imagination. Just like her husband, one of her shoulder was covering by a shawl, but hers was almost transparent. Her almond-eyes were enhanced by black eyeliner and golden dust. « _She definitely looked like a queen,»_ Marcus thought.

«Welcome, my friends,» said again the king of the sun nation.

When he arrived just in front of Abby he bent a little and took her hands fully in his.

«Abby of the moon people, we are honored to receive you in our humble kingdom,» he declared before pressing his lips against the back of each of her hands.

«The honor is ours, King Azilis» Abby answered, trying to sound confident but Marcus knew her and he was able to detect a hint of unease in her voice.

«Welcome all,» the queen greeted them warmly, spreading her arms graciously.

«It's good to see you again moon people,» said a second woman which was taking a step to stand next to the queen.

Contrary to Queen Selyne, this woman didn't offer a look at everyone. Her gaze was fixed only on Marcus' face, who suddenly felt his cheek catching fire. Her long hair was as blond as the queen's was dark. She was wearing a stylish bun at the back on her neck. It was held by a golden ribbon and two strand of hair were framing her face. She was dressed with a deep-blue dress split all along her right leg. Her breasts were barely covered by the peace of satin she was wearing and the soft fabric seemed to flutter with an imaginary breeze.

Marcus could feel everyone's eyes on him but especially Abby's. Embarrassed he just nodded slightly.

«I'm Circia, the queen's sister. I regret that we haven't been introduced yet,» the woman said, this time, to Abby.

From the corner of his eyes, Marcus saw his chancellor hold her breath for a split second before nodding.

«I heard about you, I'm glad we have met now,» Abby answered her with what looked like a pinched smile.

According to Raven's smirk, Marcus wasn't the only one who noticed it.

«I'm sorry that our son isn't there. A caravan has been attacked last night, he is looking for the culprits. He should be back by the banquet in your honor tonight,» King Azilis explained.

«Speaking of which, I came to tell you that I,» Abby started to say but she was cut off by the queen's hand on her forearm.

«We will have plenty of time to speak about that, my dear,» Selyne told her softly.

Abby opened her mouth to object but the king was faster than her.

«My beloved wife is right. Moreover, I'm sure that you want to freshen up, you have had a long trip,» he declared, his arm curling around the waist of his wife.

«Our maids will take you to your quarters,» added the queen, still smiling.

Once again, Abby seemed to want speak but this time, she was stopped by her councilor. Marcus put his hand on hers and gave her a knowing look. She arched an eyebrow as if she was about to send him off but he saw a flicker of a smile pass across her lips.

«All in good time,» he whispered and she nodded.

« Beja, mafta ai op,» said the blond maid. _Please, follow me._

Everyone started to follow her but she suddenly stopped.

«Hef jos,» she said toward Lincoln.

«The men only», the grounder translated with a dismayed smile at the corner of his mouth.

«No way, I come with you,» objected Octavia with a defiant look toward the girl.

Bellamy laid his hand on her shoulder but she pushed him away.

«En's ku, Lyessa,» said the king and Octavia offered him a slight thankful nod. _It's alright, Lyessa._

«Plan, beja,» said the other maid with a white dress. _Woman, please._

«Come on mom,» Clarke encouraged Abby softly by laying her hand at the small of her mother's back.

The chancellor seemed to hesitate for a moment. She searched for Marcus's gaze and he gave her a reassuring nod. Being separated in a strange place wasn't something he enjoyed, especially after what Lincoln had told them about their way to winning wars but they couldn't risk a diplomatic incident. Clarke seemed to guess his thought because she stared at him for a second and he immediately understood what her eyes were saying. « _I'll take care of her, it's okay_ ». He answered her by a blink and a second later he was following the maid.

As Abby passed next to the king and the queen, the latter took her arm and started to walk with her.

«Don't worry, your lover will be able to come to you at night,» she told her in a low voice.

Abby froze, stunned.

«It's okay my dear, this isn't a problem in our city,» the queen added with a conniving smile.

The chancellor shook her head. She knew that the queen was speaking about Marcus, it couldn't have been otherwise, but how could she think that they were lovers. They hadn't even had the time to implement their plan.

«Who are you talking about?» Abby asked, her cheeks suddenly red.

«You're second! The handsome man that my sister can't stop talking about ever since the summit. No offense, but that's what everyone was saying in Polis,» she explained in a natural tone.

Abby blinked as the words made sense in her mind. Under normal circumstances, a small part of herself would have been annoyed by the first sentence but in fact, the second was even worst. Did everyone really believe that she had had sex with Marcus? How could they think that? The kids saying that they were acting as if they were married was one thing, but that every grounders thought that they were lovers was unthinkable, unbelievable, and dreadful.

«In fact, they are engaged,» Clarke took the opportunity to explain, giving a discreet nudge to her mother's side.

«Oh…, Then I think we have an answer,» the queen breathed with undisguised disappointment.

«I'm sorry, I tried to tell you sooner but–,» Abby started to apologize but the queen shook her head.

«Don't be, that's wonderful news. I'm just sad that we won't belong to the same family. The sun and the moon won't be reunited today,» Selyne said with a soft smile.

«If you prefer we can leave–,» suggested Abby, a little embarrassed.

«No, no ! We're glad you are here. Please, stay as long as you wish,» the queen exclaimed as she took Abby's hand in hers.

«Thank you,» Abby said, squeezing Selyne's hand back.

«I'll tell the maids to move your fiancé into your room,» the queen declared with a bright smile.

The thought of sharing a bed with Marcus made Abby's stomach clench. It wasn't something she had thought about and she mentally blamed herself for not having anticipated this kind of thing. Of course, engaged people shared a room. Of course, the queen was going to provide them intimacy. For a second, Abby wondered if she could say that engaged people didn't share a bed before the wedding in their culture but Octavia's little scandal a few minutes earlier wiped out that potential argument.

«Oh, don't worry about that, we can spend–,» she tried to sneak off, but once again Selyne interrupted her.

«My dear, I'm well aware of the coldness of a bed without your loved one, I don't want do that to you,» the queen told her with a knowing smile.

Abby swallowed hard but tried and succeed to keep a neutral face. She even succeed to give her the same smile back.

«Okay then, I will see you at the banquet,» the queen said before giving Abby a wink and walking toward another door.

«This is gonna be hilarious,» Raven commented after a few seconds, chuckling.

Abby gave her a dirty look and bit her lower lips to prevent herself from yelling at the mechanic. _This gonna be more dreadful than she thought._


	3. Chapter 3

**_Thank you so much to tinkbooklover and artisan-kom-kabbykru for their help !_**

 ** _As I said, this is a crack fic so I try to be funny but well, I can't help to add some drama every time I wrote something so, sorry for that. I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter :) Feel free to tell me what you think !_**

 **Chapter 3**

The door opened on a vast and sumptuous room. For a second Abby wondered if she was dreaming. When she was a child, back on the Ark, she had read a lot of books with Callie. The latter's favorite was called « _The tale of Arabian nights_ » and the chancellor felt as if she had been transported into the tale. The colors, the lights, were exactly as she would have imagined it. A large carpet was covering almost all the room and a circle shaped couch took up center stage. Long violet curtains were blowing lightly in the wind and little curls of smoke which smelt like rose, were invading her sense.

Abby took a deep breath and walked in. She let her fingers brush along the top of a wicker armchair and then along the edge of a dressing table. Everything in this city seemed almost unreal. The marks of time and of the nuclear war were still visible, whether it be because of a crack on a vase or because of a half-collapsed wall, but it didn't diminish the beauty of the room.

The chancellor slipped then between two long curtains where a door used to be and walked into another room with a big canopy bed. Abby heard Clarke exchange a few words with the maid but she didn't even bother to try to understand what they were saying because she was too busy enjoying her new bedroom. She looked at the silk sheets and she felt as if they were calling for her. It seemed so comfortable that she had to restrain herself from crawling immediately under it.

«Mom, Sonia said that there was a hot bath waiting for you in the other room. Another maid is coming to help you dress when you're ready,» Clarke told her from the corridor.

Abby frowned a little and came back to the main room.

«Thank her for me, but tell her that I don't need help,» she answered, looking at her daughter.

«That's what I said but she insisted. She said that you won't be able to put on the dress the queen prepared for you alone,» the girl answered, shrugging.

«I have a change clothes in my bag, tell–» Abby objected again but her daughter's look made her shut up.

She couldn't refuse a gift from their host. She had just declined the prince's proposal, she could at least wear a grounder's outfit, and it couldn't be a big deal.

«Okay,» she sighed before offering a nod toward the grounder girl.

«See you later,» Clarke said with a soft smile on her lips.

Once alone, Abby entered the bathroom where there was a bath waiting for her. The bathtub was dug in a marble block and dozens of candles were placed on the edge of it. Cherry blossom petals were floating on the surface of the water and the chancellor wasted no time to undress. She threw her dirty clothes in the corner of the room and got into the bathtub. The water was at just the right temperature and she felt her body start to relax as soon as she laid down. In all her life, it was the first time she took a bath. On the Ark, due to the water restriction, there were only one shower allowed a week at best and now, even if there was a lake next to the camp, there was still no bathtub in the station.

Abby let out a deep sigh and dived her head under the water. She stayed like that for as long as her lungs could bear it. It was perfect, everything was so perfect. The curls of the steam were almost intoxicating and she had to struggle against the drowsiness which was surrounding her.

She lounged around for ten more minutes and when she felt the water started to cool down she decided that it was time to wash her body and hair. She used the creams at her disposal and enjoyed the smell of it. It smelled like flowers and fruits and at that moment, she regretted having not brought something to trade. She could have sold her soul to bring some creams like this with her back to Arkadia.

About fifteen minutes later Abby walked into the main room, a towel wrapped around her body. Her long wet hair curling on her shoulders and back. She felt cleaner than ever and she considered taking a nap for some minutes.

She stopped abruptly as she took her first steps into the room. Marcus was standing in front of the window. He was dressed in a black oriental tunic coat and a black trousers. He seemed lost in thought, his hands behind his back and his gaze fixed on the breathtaking point of view of her–, « _no their,» she corrected herself and the thought made her stomach clench_ , bedroom. His hair was freshly washed and his beard seemed to have been slightly cut. « _Handsome_ ,» Abby couldn't help but think as she stared at him. Objectively, he always has been. Even during their worst moments on the Ark, Abby couldn't have said otherwise. Marcus Kane was a handsome man, it was a fact but now, now it was something she could felt deep inside her. He was handsome and it didn't leave her indifferent.

Finally, Marcus noticed her presence and turned his head toward her. He was about to speak but his mouth remained half-opened as his eyes were travailing on her body. He blinked several times and then hurried to lower his gaze.

«Sorry, I…I didn't know you were–,» he mumbled, clearly embarrassed.

«Oh no it's my fault, I didn't hear you come in, I shouldn't have–» Abby cut him off, feeling suddenly almost naked, her fingers tightening on the edge of the towel against her breasts.

Fortunately, the towel was big enough to hide the most intimate parts of her body but nobody except Jake have never seen as much of her bare skin since she was a child. She wasn't a really modest woman. Because of her job, Abby was used to nudity but Marcus' visible discomfort made her felt ill at ease. With one swift movement, she put her hair on the front of her chest, covering the obvious swell of her breasts and tried to cover a little more the top of her thighs.

«Anyway, is the maid here?» she asked him, trying to get back a natural tone.

«Yes. She's waiting outside,» he answered with a nod, his eyes still shifty.

«Can you go tell her I'm ready to dress?», she asked him by thinking it was the opportunity to offer him a way out.

«Of course,» Marcus breathed before passing next to her and disappearing behind the curtains in a split second.

Abby bit her lower lips, preventing herself from letting out a deep sigh. Marcus' reaction wasn't what she would have expected. Not that she had thought about him watching her almost naked before, of course not, or rather not really consciously, but he was so ill at ease that it made her feel suddenly almost ashamed. Of course, he never would have check her out in an inappropriate way, he was far from that kind of man but well, he had seemed so in a rush to leave the room that she couldn't help but wonder if he had hated what he saw.

At this moment, Abby restrained from slapping herself for having these kind of teenager's thoughts. This was, irrelevant anyway. A councilor wasn't supposed to be attracted to his chancellor, he was just supposed to be loyal and a good adviser, nothing more. Nonetheless, Abby walked toward the full-length mirror, slightly cracked all along and she let her gaze slide on her reflection.

She looked at her long wet hair curling on her shoulder and over her chest. She had never cut it. Jake liked it like this. She could still remember how he always played with her strands while they were lying in bed together, how he buried his face in her curls while his hard chest was pressed against her back and how his fingers clenched her hair while they were making love.

The sun had lightened her hair, some strands were now almost blond, she realized. Her gaze kept traveling along her collarbone where drops were still dripping on her skin. Skin which was now slightly tanned rather than translucent. Even if most of the skypeople had gain weight, thanks to the food providing by the earth, Abby was still skinny. « _Maybe too skinny for his taste_ », she thought as she remembered Callie's voluptuous curve. Again, the chancellor inwardly reprimanded herself. Since when did she start to care about Marcus' taste in women? This was puerile and inappropriate!

«Madam,» she heard a female voice behind her.

Abby turned around and saw a young black woman with curled hair standing in front of her.

«My name is Rannie, I'm here to help you get ready for the banquet,» the girl explained, still without looking at Abby.

«Nice to meet you. I'm Abby,» the chancellor introduced herself in a soft voice.

«We have to go to the bathroom. The queen ordered me to get you ready in our way,» Rannie informed her before bending her head in respect and leaving the room.

The chancellor frowned. What did she mean by « _Our way»?_. She remained motionless with apprehension for a second. She didn't know what to expect at all, but she finally followed the maid.

She quickly crossed the main room, aware of Marcus' presence. She took a brief look at him and cached his shy gaze for a second. Neither of them said a word as Abby disappeared in the bathroom.

«Please, lie down on the table, on your back,» said the maid as she was mixing a brown texture in a bowl.

Abby looked at the maid's hands with suspicion but finally did as the girl was asking.

«You speak English,» Abby pointed out.

«My brother taught me. He was a warrior.», explained the girl with a soft smile at the corner of her lips.

«Was? What happened to him?» the chancellor asked, getting up on her elbows to look properly at the grounder girl.

«He was burnt by your daughter,» she answered, her smile suddenly fading away.

Abby swallowed hard and lowered her gaze.

«Oh, I…I'm sorry,» she breathed shamefully.

«Don't be. That was war. He died fighting for his people, it's a great honor for our family,», the girl told her with an impressive dignity.

Abby nodded briefly and laid back down. She knew what happened before they landed. She knew that Clarke had done what she had to do to save her friends but still Abby couldn't help but think that all this death had been a terrible waste, on both sides. Just like the Mount Weather occurrence.

Of course, she almost died there, they all have. Of course, Cage never would have given up and of course she sometimes still woke up at night with the ghost of screams on her lips but she couldn't help but remember the hundreds of bodies lying on the floor. So many children, so many men and women, so many live destroyed because the human race would never learn from the mistake of the past.

«Tell me if it's too hot,» Rannie told her before spreading the brown texture on her leg.

«That's okay,» Abby said, wondering what the texture was supposed to be used for.

Barely a second later she understood and let out a deep scream, both surprised and hurt.

«What's the–», she swore between her tightened teeth.

«Sorry, I should have warned you, it can hurt a little,» the girl said with a sweet chuckle.

«A little?», Abby repeated ironically with a nervous laugh.

«Do you w–», the maid started to ask but she was cut off by the sound of footsteps in the hallway.

«Abby !» Marcus shouted as he arrived in the bathroom.

« Step away from her,» he ordered vehemently to the girl, running toward the Chancellor.

«I didn't–», Rannie tried to explain, lifting her hands and taking a step back.

«Abby, did she hurt you?», he asked concerned, his face distorted by worry.

«It's okay Marcus. It's just…,I wasn't expecting–» Abby tried to reassure him but he was too busy checking every part of her body, not anymore ill at ease by her half nudity.

«What did you do to her?», he questioned the maid with a dirty look, his hand clenched protectively around Abby's elbow.

«I don't know the English word for it,» Rannie answered with a shrug before looking at Abby, searching for her help.

The chancellor let out a chuckle and shook her head with an amused smile on her lips.

«Waxing, that's the word,», she said, watching her councilor from the corner of her eyes.

Marcus turned his head toward her and blinked several times. As the words were making sense to his mind, Abby saw his cheeks turned slightly red.

«Wax…Oh ! Okay, I…I'm gonna wait outside,» he stumbled as he took a step backward and hit a coat rack.

«Sorry. I shouldn't have, well…I'm sorry,» he stuttered before leaving the room.

«Your husband is very reactive,» Rannie commented before moving toward the table where Abby was still sitting.

«Yes. Yes he is,» Abby agreed without taking her eyes off the exit.

A soft smile stretched up her lips. Absentmindedly, she touched her elbow, where Marcus' hand has been several seconds earlier. He had ran to protect her. Of course, it was his job, she was the chancellor and he had to make sure nothing happen to her but, there was something else. The way he had looked at her, with honest worry all over his face, and the way he had looked for an injury wasn't just professional and thought made her heart beat a little faster in her chest. He didn't care just for his chancellor, he cared for her.

«Can I keep going?» Rannie asked, dragging Abby back to reality.

«Yes. I'll try to be quiet this time,» the chancellor answered with a smile.

But then, she couldn't help but scream again.

On the Ark there was no wax and taking care of bodies wasn't a priority. Of course, there were razors but without enough water, it was rarely used for shaving. Therefore, few woman used them regularly.

What Abby could have called torture lasted around one hour. At the end, her body was almost entirely shaved and her skin had never been so soft. Rannie was now doing her hair and Abby was still blushing because of the maid's previous words. The latter had insisted to wax Abby's most intimate places by saying that Marcus would, with no doubt, enjoy it. The chancellor wasn't bothered because of the words themselves but because immediately thousands of burning thoughts had invaded her mind. Thoughts she knew she wasn't allowed to have, thoughts which made her heart beat faster and her lower belly catch fire. And now, every time she blinked she couldn't help but imagine Marcus' head between her thighs, Marcus' gaze on her most intimate part of her body, Marcus' mouth on her– « _Stop it, stop it, stop it_ ,» she mentally reprimanded herself. That couldn't happen. That would be wrong. That would be a serious mistake. That would be so delicio–. « _Damn, control yourself !_ »

In the next room, Marcus was sitting on a couch, fighting against, unknowingly the same inner demons. Yes, Abby was dressed with just a towel. Yes, she was certainly naked under it. Yes, her legs were bare and the swell of her breasts was visible but damn he was a grown man and not a teenager with hormones raging and flying all over the place. But yet, he couldn't stop thinking about the beautiful picture in his head.

It would be a lie if he said he wasn't attracted to Abby Griffin. In fact, he always had been, ever since the first moment he noticed her. He was sixteen and she was fourteen. She was twisting and twirling on the dance floor, dressed in tight grey jeans and a little black tank top. Her free hair was flying all around her head and she was laughing. He had felt as if she was the queen of the party and unfortunately he was just the creepy boy. He wasn't allowed to talk to a girl like her, or rather he thought he wasn't allowed, contrary to his friend Jake. Jake was fun. Jake always knew what to say and when to say it. Jake was sure of himself. Jake was the kind of man who married a girl like Abigail Walter.

Marcus had never told anyone about his attraction toward the Walter's girl. He had buried it deep inside him, telling himself that she was just a crush, a teenager's crush but then, then they landed on earth and the walls he had built around his heart had started to crack. He couldn't have said how it happened but he could have said when he had knew. The sound of her screams and the image of her face twisted by pain were still haunting him.

They were adults now and friends but still he wasn't allowed to be _that_ close to her. This wasn't about stupid teenager's imaginary rules anymore. The reason was worse, so much worse. He had voted in favor of her husband's death. He had pressed charges against her daughter and agreed to send her kid to a place where she could have died. He had tried to float her. He had ordered to shock lash her. She was wearing so many scars, on her body and in her heart, because of him. At least, she didn't hate him and he knew he had to settle for that, nothing more.

As he finally succeed to stop thinking about all of this, a clear throat drew his attention and he was lost again. Abby was standing in the doorway of the room more beautiful than ever. In fact she was not just beautiful, she was breathtaking, wonderful, stunning. She was wearing a long gold dress which did justice to her voluptuous curves of her body. Her shoulders were bare and the spangled fabric which covered her stomach was transparent. Each strand of her hair was curled and hooked up together and fell down along the right side of her face. Her face which was magnificently well done with make-up that was dark with gold and orange colors surrounding her eyes.

«Well, what do you think?», she asked with an unusual shy voice as she was nervously rubbing the fabric of her dress between her fingers.

Marcus opened his mouth and then closed it several times. No words seemed to be strong enough to describe what he was seeing. All he could do at this moment was stare and wonder if he was dreaming or not. In all his life he had never seen something so magnificent. She looked like a goddess, a Muse.

«I know, it's too much right?», she said after a few seconds, crossing her arms over her chest like if she wanted to hide herself.

Marcus hurried to shake his head and got up off the couch.

«No. No Abby, it's just…I…You're magnificent,» he finally managed to say with a slightly hoarse voice.

«Oh,» she breathed softly, her cheeks turning red.

«Thank you,» she added with a shy smile at the corner of her lips.

«You are going to make people envious tonight,» Rannie told Marcus playfully as she walked in the room.

«For sure,» Marcus agreed without stopping to stare at Abby.

«You look great too, by the way,» the girl told him.

Marcus thanked her by a nod.

«My job is done for now. I'll come get you for the banquet in about one hour,» Rannie told them before bending her head and walking toward the exit.

«Rannie. I'm sorry about earlier,» Marcus apologized again, shamefully.

«Don't worry. It's okay,» the girl answered with a soft smile.

«You thought I was hurting the woman you love, anyone would have done the same thing,» she added with a shrug.

The words made him feel a little embarrassed but he succeed to keep a neutral face and nodded. Did he love Abigail Griffin? Probably. Should he ? Probably not. Did she know? He couldn't say.

«She's right, you look great,» Abby said when they were finally alone.

«But why do you always have to wear black?» she added falsely annoyed as she walked toward him to let her hand brush softly along the fabric on his arm.

Marcus looked at her and he restrained himself from touching her too. He was craving to stroke her curls, to skim the bare skin of her shoulders but he wasn't allowed to do that.

«Maybe because black is my color,» he answered playfully, raising an eyebrow.

Abby looked up at him and an amused smile stretched upon her lips.

«Well, I guess there's something to that,» she conceded, still staring at him right in the eyes.

For a second an improbable thought crossed his mind. Was Abby flirting with him? The thought was almost absurd but the way she was looking at him, the way her fingers were sliding softly along his arm and the way she was smiling made his stomach clench a little. They stared quietly at each other for some seconds and Marcus felt as if time had stopped. He could have stared into her wonderful brown eyes, at her appealing lips and at the perfect skin of her face for hours, for days, for years. He could never get tired of looking at her.

«Holy shit!», exclaimed a familiar voice behind him.

Abby immediately broke eye-contact as Raven and Clarke entered the room.

«Clarke, your forty year old mother is sexiest than us! That's not fair at all,» Raven added before letting herself fall heavily on the couch next to them.

Marcus repressed a chuckle as Abby rolled her eyes and shook her head before letting out a sigh.

«Don't make me regret allowing you to come with us Raven,» Abby warned her, half-annoyed and half-amused.

«You would have miss me,» the mechanic retorted with a smirk.

«I wouldn't have bet on that,» Clarke commentated with a chuckle.

«But anyway, she's right, you're beautiful mom,» she added with a bright smile.

And once again, Marcus couldn't help but stare at the gorgeous woman next to him.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Again, thank you so much to tinkbooklover and artisan-kom-kabbykru for their help !**_

 _ **I'm sorry for the wait but "late" should be my birth name :/**_

 _ **I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and not hate my poor Circia haha ;)**_

 ** _Chapter 4_**

As expected, Rannie and Sonia, the two maids, came back to lead them to the banquet hall. Clarke and Raven were walking ahead, talking and laughing in their wonderful grounder's outfits. Abby couldn't help but think that they both looked like grounder princesses. Her daughter was wearing a beige dress with sleeves only fastened around her elbows. Her shoulders were bare but covered by her long blond hair. To Abby's delight, her dreadlocks were finally gone. The cotton fabric was fitted around her waist by a leather strap and a choker was around her neck. Raven was dressed in a long pink dress. The fabric was draped in front of her body, held by gold ribbons and was slightly pleated on her hips. Her sides were bare just as her shoulders. Her hair was held in a high ponytail but was curled at the end. At each of her steps, Abby could see the mark of her brace under the soft fabric but for the first time since her accident, the mechanic didn't seem to care. A smile tugged at Abby's lips. It was good to see the kids happy again. To see them enjoying the life on earth and forgetting, even for a few moments all the bloodshed.

At this moment, Abby realized that she hadn't seen Clarke smiling like this since before her father's death. She was laughing like the teenager girl she was supposed to be, and it made her heart clench. The chancellor bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears of joy which was filling her eyes. Suddenly, she felt Marcus' hand land on the small of her back and starting to stroke the skin along her spine lightly. She looked up at him, a little surprised by his action but when their gazes met she understood that he was perfectly aware of the outpouring of emotions which were playing out in her. He offered her a shy smile, as if he was asking if she was okay with this new kind of gesture between them and she answered him with a bright smile. It was a just a comforting gesture, a cordial touch but yet, Abby couldn't help but feel shivers running down her spine.

As they walked, the sound of voices was more and more audible and it became almost deafening as they reached the entrance of the banquet room. The doors were half-opened and Abby made out a dozen of people drinking and speaking in a vast reception room.

Rannie told her and Marcus to wait there because she had to inform the king and the queen of their arrival. Only Clarke and Raven were allowed to enter for now. The maid explained to them that the custom was that the leaders of other clans were to be officially introduced to the people of the Sun nation. Of course, they agreed to that and soon they were left alone, waiting.

«Are you okay?» Marcus asked her as she started to pace up and down in front of the now closed door.

Abby stopped walking to look at him and nodded.

«Yes. I'm just a little stressed. I'm not used to protocol, I don't want to risk offending them.», she confessed, her hand automatically reaching for the missing ring between her breasts.

Marcus saw her gesture and couldn't help but feel a little bad about that. He knew how much the ring around her neck meant to her. It was Jake's ring and it was for her a comfort with which any of his words or touches would never be able to rival. Yet, Marcus took a step toward her and reached for her hand. He held it in both of his hands and offered her a warm smile.

«Don't worry about that, I'm here to watch your back, that's my job remember? And I'm sure they'll fall for your charm as soon as they see you anyway,» he told her with an astonishing honesty.

Abby stared at him, speechless. Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder where this man was hiding on the Ark. This Marcus was far from the man she was used to argue with during council meetings. This Marcus was…, well, this Marcus made her feel like nothing bad could happen to her, to Clarke, to their people, when he was standing next to her.

Since they came back from Mount Weather, he was always there for her. He always knew what to say to calm her down. He always knew what to do to comfort her. And sometimes she felt like she could never give him the thanks he deserved.

Unconsciously, she took a step toward him and let her gaze slide down his face to finally land on his cheek. Would it be inappropriate to kiss his cheek? Just one chaste kiss on his cheekbone wouldn't be too much?

Marcus could see her gaze on him. She was staring at him with an inscrutable expression. She seemed to be considering something, something he wasn't able to guess. And then he felt her lean in their hands still connected and saw her stand on her tiptoes. He swallowed hard. His breath got caught in his throat and his muscles tightened. He remained motionless, unable to do anything else than watch her face draw closer to his. What was she doing? Was she going to kiss him? No, it couldn't be possible…

«Are you ready ?», Rannie's voice resonated suddenly behind Abby.

The latter froze and stopped her face at a few inches from Marcus'. The world seemed to stop turning as their gazes met. Her councillor was, with no doubt, questioning her with his eyes. Abby suddenly felt afraid that Marcus could have misunderstand what she was about to do, but she couldn't explain herself now, not in front of a girl who thought that they were engaged. After several seconds she took a deep breath and stepped away from him.

She was about to remove her hand from Marcus' grip but unexpectedly he didn't let her. Quite the opposite, he intertwined his fingers with hers and let their hands fall together along their sides.

«Yes, we are,» he answered the maid with confidence, as his thumb was brushing lightly against the back of Abby's hand.

The doors opened and Abby held her breath as she took her first step in. About two hundred people were watching them with a multitude of expression. She saw some welcoming smiles, some wary gazes, and some curious faces. In front of her, at the back of the room, the royal family was standing behind the head table. From the corner of her eyes, she could count at least fifteen guards. They were carrying a daggers in their belts and a sword in their hands.

The chancellor suddenly felt like she was suffocating and unconsciously she squeezed Marcus's hand harder. She couldn't help but think that Rannie wasn't the only person in this room who had lost a brother, a daughter or a father at the dropship.

«Ai steshoun of Abi Grifin, Heda komnatshanakru, Wanhedanomon, Fisa chon lid in kombastedaunon,» exclaimed suddenly a man next to her which made her slightly jump.

As the grounder was speaking, Abby heard some exclamations and whispers from the crowd. She saw the smiles fading away and the curious gazes becoming frightened. She frowned a second and automatically turned her head toward Marcus. The latter bent his head to move his mouth closer to her ear.

«May I present Abby Griffin, leader of the moonpeople, mother of Wanheda and the healer who brings back the dead,» he translated for her in a low voice.

Abby's mouth fell open as she heard the last part of the sentence.

«I didn't–,» she started to object but he gently shushed her.

«Ai steshoun of Markus Kane, Heda komnatshanakruseken, dulaogonzaun, dena em na gon Abi Grifin houmon,», the speaker added.

«May I present Marcus Kane, second of the leader of the moonpeople, peacemaker and–» Marcus started to translate for her again but he stopped abruptly and she heard him chuckle slightly.

Abby turned her face toward him and raised an interrogative eyebrow.

«And what ?», she asked him, almost sure that she had heard her name.

Marcus lowered his gaze for a second, a shy smile still on his lips.

«And the future husband of Abby Griffin,» he finally finished, looking at her right in the eyes.

Abby felt an unexpected shiver travel down along her spine and for a second she wondered if it was because of the words or because of the way Marcus was staring at her. She knew it was a lie, they both knew it but still, she couldn't help but feel something growing deep down inside her, something she wasn't able to define now.

«It's a great honour for the Sun nation to have you here moonpeople,» resonated the King's voice in the room.

The crowd became suddenly quiet again. Marcus and Abby broke their eye contact at the same time to turn their head toward King Azilis who was now walking to the middle of the room.

«Before we start the festivities, I would like to say a few words,» he offered with a smile and Abby gave him a kind nod.

«There was a time when we were enemies. We all suffered. We all lost many loved ones: sons, daughters, friends, lovers,» he started to say gravely.

«But the war is over now. The past is the past. Now, I want us to be friends. I want our people to fight side by side on the battlefield and I want our people to lay side by side in beds,» he declared, his expression becoming more friendly.

«As everybody knows, my son, Prince Deal asked for Abby Griffin's hand. I know that it's not in our culture to marry someone of another clan. I know that some of my people have felt offended by this proposal» he added still with a serious tone.

«But please my friends, just look at her…Can you really blame him?», he asked playfully with a broad smile as he turned toward the Chancellor.

Abby felt her cheeks catching fire. Marcus let out a chuckle like the majority of the people present in the room. At this moment, with all eyes on her, Abby would have wanted to disappear but she was the leader of the skypeople and she had to keep her head up so, she offered a soft smile to the king and nodded in respect.

«But anyway, the Sun and the Moon won't be reunited today. The leader of the moonpeople has already found her Sun. He's standing next to her right now and I wish them, with all my heart, every happiness. May your marriage be as good and passionate as mine.» he finished as he raised the cup he was holding.

«Thank you King Azilis, the honor is ours.», the chancellor thanked him with a bow of her head.

Everybody was still looking at her and she could guess that they were expecting more than just a thanks from her. After all, she was the leader of the Skypeople, she had to act like one, especially in front of another clan. So, Abby released Marcus' hand and took a few steps toward the center of the room.

«As you said, we were enemies once. We didn't understand or rather we didn't want to understand each other. We hated each other. We killed each other. But then–», she started to say gravely before stopping for a few second.

 _Then we make peace and you betrayed us_ , she thought bitterly. It was true, Lexa had abandoned them. The commander was ready to let them all die but it wouldn't be smart to remind them of that now. Besides, as Lincoln told them, most of the leaders of the twelve clans had contested Lexa's decision. She had broken her word and left the battlefield without a fight, some of the leaders saw that as a sign of weakness.

«Then we realized that we were much stronger together. The mountain men did horrible things to both our peoples. This shared enemy made us ally but we can be more than that. We have to be more than that. We have to be friends, true friends. Because we all want the same thing. We want to live. We want to see our children grow up and be happy.» she finally said in a loud voice.

«When we sent one hundred of our children here, we thought that we were the last members of the human race alive. We thought that we were the only chance for the human race to survive and now I realize how presumptuous it was. Our ancestors fled. _Yours_ survived a nuclear war. In a way, the earth is yours and we are just invaders. But the mother of my mother was born here too. We don't claim anything, we just ask you, humbly, to let us be a part of your world,» she added with a soft smile at the corner of her lips.

«We used to live among the stars but it's nothing compared to the beauty of your city King Azilis. Everything here seems like a dream to me. I really believe that we have a lot to learn from each other and I would be glad to receive you in turn in our home.» she said looking at the king who bent his head a little.

Then Abby turned toward the royal table and greeted the heir to the throne with a nod. He was a well-built man in his twenties. He had the dark hair and the dark eyes of his mother. He was wearing a long red coat, slightly open in the front to let his hard chest become visible. He was handsome and the way he held his head up made Abby think that he was perfectly aware of how attractive he was.

«Prince Dael, I'm sorry that I can't accept your proposal. It's a display of friendship which won't be forgotten, you have my word but as your father said I have already found the only man I want by my side for the rest of my life. Leading is not an easy thing to do but Marcus makes me a better Chancellor.» she said before looking shyly at her councillor over her shoulder.

She might have stopped there but she thought it was her best chance to let him know what he meant to her now, to give him the gratitude he deserved.

«Since we landed he always has been a great support to me. He was always there when I needed him and he always knows what I need even before I know it myself. I know that I can always count on him and I hope he knows that he can always count on me too,» she kept going, looking at him right in the eyes.

Marcus held her gaze and gave her a slight nod. They weren't getting married for real but at this moment, they both knew that she was telling the truth.

«He keeps me safe. He takes care of me. He makes me happy and he makes me stronger every day. I owe him so much, » she confessed honestly, her heart beating faster in her chest as she saw Marcus take several steps toward her.

«And I owe you so much too,» he told her as he took her hand in his and held it to his mouth.

Abby held her breath as she felt his lips brushing slightly against the back of her hand. For a second she forgot everything. She forgot the two hundred people who were looking at them. She forgot the speech she was supposed to do. She forgot the lies she was supposed to tell.

«Deimeikakru en Skaikru stegouthruogeda, komnaukomoso las soujononagraun-de,» finally exclaimed Marcus as he took a step backward. _The Sunpeople and the Skypeople march together, from now until our final journey on the ground._

«Kom naukomoso las soujononagraun-de,» repeated the King, quickly followed by the rest of the crowd.

The words echoed several times in the room before the people started to get back to their distractions.

«Come on my friends, let's have some fun,» the King called them out before walking toward the royal table.

Abby and Marcus exchanged a smile and then started to follow him but suddenly the chancellor felt someone catching her arm.

«Hey! What a speech, I almost bought it,» Raven whispered with a chuckle.

Abby froze and automatically shook her head, looking at Marcus. She really meant it and she didn't want him to think otherwise.

«I wasn't ly–» she tried to object but the mechanic cut her off.

«Come on, I can't wait to meet the Prince,» the girl said dragging her toward the royal table.

Marcus looked at Abby moving away with an half-amused half-tender smile on his lips. Hearing those words from her was unexpected but it warmed his heart.

«Her speech was very good,» Lincoln commented as he arrived next to him, joined by Octavia and Bellamy.

«Yes,» Marcus agreed before turning toward them.

«Oh! You look great,» the councillor told them as he noted their grounder's outfit.

The men were wearing a long coat, pink for Bellamy and beige for Lincoln. Octavia was dressed in a long black skirt, split along her left thigh and a black top diagonally cut to let a part of her stomach be visible.

«Not as great as your future wife,» Bellamy joked with a smirk.

«You spend too much time with Raven, be careful,» Marcus retorted, raising a knowing eyebrow.

«No need. She seems to have set her sights on the Prince by the way. She was unbearable during the speeches and I can't even repeat what she said,» Bellamy said before faking to shiver with disgust.

«Your friend has good taste then. My nephew is quite a good-looking boy, a little too pretentious maybe, but still attractive,» said a female voice behind Marcus.

The councillor turned around as the others bent their head a little.

«Madam,» Marcus greeted the queen's sister with a nod.

«Don't be so formal. As our leaders said we're friends now. Please call me Circia,» the woman said with a honeyed voice as she handed him a goblet.

Marcus saw Bellamy smirking from the corner of his eyes and he felt relieved that Raven wasn't there to make an unkind comment.

«Then, thank you Circia,» he answered her with a smile as he took the glass.

«Elderberry wine,» she informed him before carrying the glass to her mouth and taking a sip without breaking eye contact.

Marcus took a sip as well to be polite.

«It's delicious,» he told her honestly.

«Indeed,» Circia agreed as she offered him a languorous look with an impish smile at the corner of her lips.

«Our outfit looks marvellous on you Marcus of the moonpeople,» the queen's sister added in a low voice as she let her fingers brush lightly along the collar of his coat.

This time, Marcus heard Octavia fail to hold back a chuckle next to him but he did his best to keep a neutral face. Circia had never hidden her attentions toward him. At Polis she had even made explicit advances toward him and it was something that he would never be able to forget.

Indeed, Marcus wasn't used to being hit on by woman. On the Ark, he had dated some of them but he felt like it always happened by accident. The first girl he kissed hadn't been chosen by him but she had been appointed by a swing bottle during a stupid teenager's game. She wasn't especially pretty but she seemed to like him so it just he just went out with her for several months. After her, he had slept with some woman, but no one of his relationships has ever been serious until he finally meets Callie. Callie was beautiful, kind and smart. Even today, he still wondered what she saw in him. They had some good times together but mostly bad ones. He knew that she wanted more than some stolen kisses around a corner and some wild sex nights. Of course, he liked her. He liked her more than he liked the majority of the other people on the Ark but still, it wasn't enough. How could he have asked her to marry him when he forgot her in a second as soon as Abby Griffin walked into the room? How could he have asked her to marry him when he preferred to argue with her best friend rather than spending time with her? How could he have asked her to marry him when the body he pressed hard against a wall after a council meeting wasn't hers behind his closed eyes? Callie deserved better but it was too late now to right the wrong.

«Thank you. Your dress is gorgeous too,» he complimented her back, a little uncomfortable.

«I'm glad you like it,» she said with an impish look before licking her lips.

Marcus offered her a quick nod before taking another sip of wine.

«But you also might like what's underneath,» she added in a whispered after having taken another step toward him.

Marcus almost spit out his wine and felt his cheeks catch fire.

Only a few yard away, Abby was speaking with the Queen Selyne. The latter was telling her about their wonderful tailors and the way they were able to create amazing outfits out of nothing but the chancellor was barely listening to her. Actually, she was glaring at her false-future-husband and the magnificent woman he was speaking to.

The queens sister was probably the most beautiful woman Abby had ever seen and she was, with no doubt, shamelessly flirting with Marcus. Her hand was brushing against the collar of the councillor's jacket and from here, he didn't seem to be bothered by it. Abby's grip tightened unconsciously on her cup of wine as she saw Circia tilting her head toward Marcus' and obviously whispering something near his ear. At this moment, the same strange sensation that she had felt the previous day in the pit of her belly during Marcus' confession in the rover seemed to eat her up from the inside again. She wasn't used to feeling these kinds of things and she wouldn't have been able to describe it precisely. It was a weird mixture of anger, fear, and sadness. It was something she could feel running inside her veins and pressing painfully her heart. A part of her brain was screaming « _Don't you dare to touch him_ », « _Don't you dare to be that close to him_ » while another part was wondering what right she had to think that. Marcus was her councillor after all, nothing more.

This kind of feeling was new to her and almost shocking and shameful. She had never felt this when she was with Jake. She had never been afraid, sad, nor angry when he was speaking with another woman. She had never been like this because she knew Jake was hers, only hers but with Marcus…With Marcus, it was so different. She didn't really know what she expected from him and worst of all she didn't know what he was expected from her. Their relationship had grown up very fast, so fast that now she felt a little lost. One day they were enemies and the next they were…, well she didn't know how to name it. She would have say friend but still, a vicious voice in her head was whispering that she wasn't supposed to find a friend so appealing.

«Don't you think?», Selyne suddenly asked for her opinion.

The question made her come back to reality and she shook her head, unable to answer her.

«Sorry, I…» she started to apologize, looking back at the queen.

Selyne gave her an interrogated look and then turned her head.

«Oh. I see,» she said with an amused smile as she turned again toward Abby.

«Don't be afraid my dear, I saw how he looked at you during your speech, Circia has no chance. But if you'd like I can speak to her,» she offered with a comforting tone.

Abby swallowed hard and suddenly felt like she was suffocating.

«I…No. Thank you, but there's no need. I…I trust him. It's just that we…Fidelity is an important part of relationships in our culture,» she explained, without even knowing what part of her answer was the truth or a lie.

«Like most of the others clans,» Selyne commented with an amused smile before taking a sip of wine.

«Can I tell you a story?» the queen asked after a few seconds.

«Of course,» Abby nodded, trying to not look at Marcus and Circia.

«The oldest say that the Sun and the Moon are husband and wife. They say that during the day, the Sun rules over his kingdom. He works very hard and he knows that he can't ask his wife to wait obediently for him. If he asks her to do so, she will because she doesn't want to make him sad but the Sun knows that she wouldn't be happy,», Selyne started to tell with a tender smile.

«He loves her. He loves her more than anything and he wants the best for her so he gives her liberty. He gives her everything she needs, everything she wants and it's a mutual thing,» she continued before waving to a maid and showing her empty cup.

«During the day the Moon can disappear with the stars and enjoying her free time like she wants to. But the Sun is never worried. He's never worried because he knows that at every dawn and at every twilight ,without exception, the Moon will come back to him. They will rules over their kingdom side by side, more in love than ever, before the Sun disappear in turn and leave the world to his shining wife for the night,» she ended as the maid filled their cup with wine.

«That's a beautiful story,» Abby said sincerely.

«Do you understand what it means?» King Azilis asked as he arrived next to them and took his wife in his arms from behind.

The queen tilted her head and let her husband kiss her lips languorously.

Abby looked down, a little embarrassed by this public display of affection.

«Yes…I…I think I do,» she finally answered once the royal couple looked at her again.

«It means that no matters to whom you offer your body, the only important thing is that you only give your heart to one person. I know that my beloved wife has a thing for young and vigorous men but I know that she'll always be mine like I'll always be hers,» King Azilis explained before laying a kiss against his wife's hair.

«Yes, we will,» Selyne agreed firmly before turning in his arms to kiss him properly.

Once again, Abby waited, looking around for Marcus. She saw Raven and Clarke speaking with Prince Dael, not far from her. She saw Bellamy, Octavia and Lincoln nibbling on some grounders' appetizer in the back of the room but there was no sign of Marcus and Circia. For a second, Abby felt a flash of fear strike her. What if…? No. No, Marcus wouldn't have done that. He wouldn't have left the party with Circia to…No way. Nonetheless, her grip tightened around her cup as she kept looking frantically all around her.

«Hey, are you okay?» a voice behind her asked suddenly as she felt a hand land at the small of her back.

Abby immediately turned around and held back a sigh of relief.

«Where were you?», she asked with a hint of reproach in her voice.

Marcus frowned a little, probably surprise by her reaction.

«Just there. Circia introduced me to their Ambassador,» Marcus told her as he pointed out an old man seated at the head table.

«Oh. Great,» Abby breathed, a little embarrassed as she realized that she might have overreacted.

«Where do you think I was?» her councillor asked suspiciously as a smirk was taking place on his lips.

He knew. She could tell by the way he was looking at her that he knew and that he thought it was funny.

«Nowhere,» she hurried to say as she saw the queen's sister walked toward them from the corner of her eyes.

«But I'm glad you're back,» she added a little too loud to sound normal before going up on her tiptoes and did what she wanted to do since they arrived in front of this room, she pressed her lips to his cheek in a light caress.


	5. Chapter 5

The banquet had been particularly amazing, whether it was because of the food or because of the enriching conversations. The alcohol had been really flowing but nobody had drunk too much among the honor table. Marcus had just felt a little merry, just enough to feel completely at ease in the queen and the king's company and judging by the flush on Abby's face and the way she had been laughing without constraint at Azilis' jokes, she had been in the same condition as him.

The councilor had spoken a lot with the royal couple during the reception but above all, he had stared at Abby from the corner of his eyes. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about the ghost of her lips against the skin of his cheek.

It was something new, something he didn't expect and to be honest it was also something he longed for without even knowing it. He didn't know what to think about it. Was it something she did to polish their cover? Was it something she did because she wanted to? Was it both? He couldn't answer these questions but it had, added to the several times she had absentmindedly laid her hand on his during the dinner, made him felt a little confused.

Abby had never been afraid of physical contacts. Marcus had seen her hugging many people or giving them a comforting squeeze on the arm or shoulder. He had seen her kissing Jake in public during some informal parties on the Ark and stroking Clarke's hair almost every time she was next to her. But physical contacts wasn't something she allowed herself to do with him. Yes, they were close now. Yes, they spent most of the time together in the war room when she wasn't busy in medical. Yes, she was now, with no doubt, the closest person to him but still, she seemed to always hold on her habit to touch people with him.

Marcus remembered this particularly day when he came back from the first searching mission for Clarke. Abby had run toward them and hugged most of the kids but when it had been his turn she had taken a first step toward him but stopped at the last second. She had offered him a shy smile and a warm look instead but nothing more. In retrospect, the councilor had understood and accepted that there will always be their past between them, no matters how hard he try to be a better man, how close they became. He hurt her and this is something she will never forget even if she wanted to. She could forgive him but her heart and her body will never forgot.

The kiss hadn't been the only reason why he couldn't help but stare at her during the banquet. In her grounder's outfit, she looked like a diamond, a gemstone and for the first time in a long, long time she had seemed happy. Truly happy. There was no record of fear, worry or anger on her beautiful face and this view had warmed up his whole heart.

The banquet hadn't lasted long because, as the queen had explained to them, a true celebration will take place in five days. « _The rebirth day_ » as grounders called it. Selyne had told them that it was the day they commemorated the arrival of the first Commander on earth, the day the human race had risen up again after the chaos of the nuclear war. Then, she had offered them to stay a little longer to assist at the biggest party of the year, which Abby had willingly accepted.

As they arrived in front of the door of their quarters, Marcus waited for Abby to give a goodnight kiss to her daughter and to Raven and then let her pass first to walk in the room. He closed the door quietly behind them and laid against it as Abby took several steps toward the center of the room.

«So? Still mad about coming here?» he asked her with a slight smirk.

Abby turned toward him with a bright smile and shook her head.

«I don't think so,» she confessed as she let herself fall heavily on the central couch.

«God, this place is like being in a fairytale,» she breathed as she put her elbow on the edge of the couch and leaned her head against her palm, her eyes half-closed.

For a minute Marcus remained quiet, still staring at her. The room was full of burning candles and smelled like lemon and cinnamon. The reflection of the flame on her golden dress and on her hair made her look like a goddess direct from a mythological story. If Helene of troy was, until today, supposed to be the most beautiful woman who lived in the world, then at this moment, she had lost her title. At that moment, Marcus could have started a war even more deadly than the Trajan war for Abigail Griffin.

«A penny for your thought,» she said softly after a few seconds, a tender and sleepily smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

The sound of her voice made him come back to reality. He shook his head and tried to stop thinking about how beautiful the divine creature in front of him was.

«What?», he asked, still a little under the spell of this wonderful woman.

«You're staring,» she pointed out in a soft tone.

«What are you thinking?» she asked as she ran a weary hand through her hair.

Marcus looked down and bit his bottom lips, trying to hide a half-amused half-guilty smile.

«Nothing important,» he lied in a low voice.

Abby stared at him a few seconds, as if she was trying to read his mind. Even if he knew she hadn't this power, Marcus couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable. His thoughts weren't inappropriate, or rather not at this moment but still, he knew that he wasn't allowed to think about her as something other than a friend or the chancellor. Of course, he had every right to think that she was beautiful, that this dress looked good on her but in fact, it was more than an innocent observation. He wanted her. He wanted her because of her dress. He wanted her because of her body. He wanted her because of her amazing spirit. He wanted her because of her mental strength. Ultimately, he wanted her because she was who she was. He wanted Abby Griffin. He wanted her body, her soul, and her heart but he knew it will never happen.

«We should go to sleep, the Prince offered to take us with him for a hunt with hawk tomorrow morning,» he informed her, changing the subject.

«A hunt?» she repeated, raising a skeptical eyes-brow.

«You don't want to go?» he asked her as he took a few steps toward a coffee table to pour himself a glass of water.

«I don't know, I would have preferred visiting the city,» she answered, shrugging.

«As you want but it's too bad,» he started to say before taking a sip of water.

«According to Circia a hunt with hawk is a majestic spectacle,» he added with a false innocence in his voice.

He wasn't sure if he was right but he felt like his chancellor didn't like the queen's sister a lot, especially when she was speaking to him. Thinking that Abby could be jealous would have been presumptuous and crazy but still…

«She'll come with you?» she hurried to ask, the tone of her voice almost betraying her annoyance.

«I think so,» he answered falsely distractedly.

«Ah,» she snapped, clearly not delighted by this news.

«Do you have a problem with her? You don't like her?» he asked her as he filled a second glass with water.

«Do you?» she retorted him, her chin high, almost provocative.

«What do you mean?» he asked her back with a frown as he handed her the glass.

«Raven was right. She likes you,» she commentated coldly before holding the glass to her lips.

«Oh that…,» he breathed before huffing a laugh.

«Yes, I think she does but it doesn't matter, we're engaged right?» he retorted playfully with a smirk, wishing to tone down the atmosphere.

«Not for real,» she reminded him with a bitter smile.

«Still, they have to believe that we are, so it doesn't matter,» he insisted in a soft tone which was meant to be almost reassuring.

This time Abby just nodded and stopped looking at him. Internally, Marcus felt as if, at some point, the situation had got out of control. At first, he had mentioned Circia for fun, just to tease her but then…then he didn't really know how or why but she seemed to be angry at him. She was annoyed. He could tell it by the little line between her eyebrows which appeared each time she was in a bad mood.

Marcus started to walk toward the bedroom, not sure of how he was supposed to deal with a likely jealous woman who wasn't even supposed to feel things for him. But when he was about to disappear behind the curtains where a door used to be, Abby started to speak again.

«Would it?» she asked abruptly, still without looking at him.

«Matter, I mean. If you didn't have to play that role?» she clarified, her voice softer than a few minutes before.

Marcus turned around to look at her, frowning.

«Sorry but…Are you asking me if I'm interested in Circia?» he asked her, a little confused.

«If I was, would it be inappropriate?» she asked, in a neutral tone.

Marcus blinked several times, not sure about what he was supposed to answer.

«I…I don't know but anyway, I'm not,» he said, wondering what she was playing at.

«You're not?» she insisted once again.

«I'm not,» he confirmed seriously.

«She's really beautiful…,» she commented, falsely absentmindedly.

«Indeed she is,» he agreed tentatively.

«So…not even a little interested?» she asked him again.

This time it was him who started to feel annoyed. He wasn't interested in Circia and he didn't want Abby to think otherwise.

«Oh god,» he sighed, exasperated.

«I just said I wasn't, is it too hard to believe?» he exclaimed a little too loud.

«Okay, don't get mad, it was just a question,» Abby said, rolling her eyes as if she was thinking he was overreacted.

«And I answered it, three times, is it enough for you or should I say it one more time?» he got really annoyed.

«No, no it's okay,» she answered with an irritating smirk at the corner of her lips.

«She's not my type anyway,» Marcus growled as he turned around.

«Because you have a type,?» she asked him, failing to hide her interest in the answer.

This time, the councilor didn't answer and pushed the curtains aside, his jaws clenched.

«Yes, unfortunately, infuriating and stubborn woman,» he muttered to himself as he walked into the bedroom.

Abby looked at the curtains slightly quivering after Marcus disappeared behind them and she suddenly felt stupid. She shouldn't have asked him about this. About Circia. About his potential attraction for her. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right. She was old enough to know and realize that she hadn't the right to be mad at him because he was interested in a woman who wasn't her. He owned her nothing, she was nothing for him but his chancellor and his friend.

Sometimes she couldn't help but think that he might feel something more than friendship for her. Sometimes she was almost sure he did. But then, she remembered who she was and what she did and said to him and she was not sure of anything anymore. She had blamed him for Jake. She had blamed him for Clarke. And she had blamed him for everything she thought unfair on the Ark. But now… Now she realized that it wasn't fair but unfortunately, it was also too late.

Besides, a part of her mind was also whispering that she wasn't sure either of what she was excepting from him. To be honest she was afraid. Afraid of loving someone again. Afraid of losing someone she loves again. Afraid of what Clarke would think. And worst of all, she was afraid of hurting him because of all her other fears. If she crossed that line, she knew that she would have no right to back out but she didn't trust herself with that. She wasn't sure that she could be the woman he might want.

Her hand laid between her breasts, looking unconsciously for Jake's ring but it wasn't there anymore.

« _Dad would have wanted you to move on_ », her daughter's words came back to her mind. Yes, he would have. She knew he would, but so soon? With Marcus Kane? A man with who he used to be friend? A man with who she used to be enemies with? Honestly, she didn't know if she was ready or even so if she was still young enough to do all of this again. Once, she had thought that Jake would be the only man of her life, that she would never be able to love someone else but then…Then Jake died. He died and Marcus, the true Marcus, showed up and all her convictions started to shatter.

She stayed there for a while, blaming herself for this moment where she had let her heart speak instead of her mind but then a deep yawn made her realize that it was time for her to go to bed.

As she got up she remembered that she won't be able to unclip her dress alone. It was fastened on her back with, at least, fifty little clips and even if she tried her best she wouldn't be able to reach for those between her shoulders blade. Besides, she didn't want to risk ruining the queen's gift.

Reluctantly and a little ashamed she walked toward the bedroom to ask for Marcus' help. As she entered the room her eyes fell on a sublime white nightdress spreading on the bed. The fabric seemed as light as a summer breeze and the neck piece was made of gold and gemstones.

«Another gift from the queen, I suppose,» she heard Marcus' voice telling her from the right part of the room.

Abby turned her head toward him and she immediately frowned as she saw him lying on a couch, a bedspread over him.

«Tell me that you're not seriously thinking that I'm gonna let you sleep there?», she asked, raising an eyebrow.

«Do you want me to sleep in the other room?» he asked seriously.

«Don't be stupid,» she said as she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

«I mean, this bed is large enough for both of us, I think even for four people,» she clarified as she pointed out the big and comfortable mattress in front of her.

«Don't worry, I'll be fine,» he declined politely with a reassuring smile.

«Maybe, but **I** won't! I don't want to hear you complaining about your back tomorrow,» she retorted, falsely annoyed.

It wasn't that she wanted him to sleep next to her, of course not, or not really but mainly she didn't want him to sleep uncomfortably because of her. After all, they were adults, they could share a bed with no ulterior motive and he deserved a good sleep as much as her.

«Besides, we can't risk that a maid walks in while we sleep and find you there,» she pointed out more seriously.

Marcus stared at her, considering her words for a few second.

«Okay,» he finally conceded.

When he pushed the bedspread aside, Abby swallowed hard. His muscled chest was bare and he only wore light brown pants. He got up and all she could see was skin, hard muscles and a trail of dark hair which ran lower and lower and low– « _Stop it !_ » she mentally reprimanded herself just in time to prevent her gaze to stray in an inappropriate place.

«It was also on the bed. There was no t-shirt with it but if you prefer I can put on one of mine,» he offered, his eyes slightly shifty.

Abby unconsciously bit her lower lips and forced herself to look away.

«No…You…You don't need to…I mean…It's hot in there, you'll sleep better like this,» she answered with a slight quivering voice.

«By the way, I think I'll put on the queen's gift. I only brought the wool pajama I found in Mount Weather and clearly it wasn't one of my best ideas,» she added as she reached out to take the nightdress.

«Clearly not,» Marcus agreed with a teasing but still shy smile at the corner of his lips.

She looked at him refolding the bedspread, trying to find the courage to ask for his help with her dress. It wasn't something inappropriate but in a way it felt even so intimate. The only time she had worn a dress before today was for her wedding and she still perfectly remembered the slowness which with Jake had unzipped it, stopping at each inch to kiss the skin along her spine, to map her back with his fingertips.

«I'm sorry to ask you, I know you're not a maid but, could you…could you help me with the dress? I won't be able to reach all the clips,» she finally asked him, a little embarrassed as she turned around to present him her back.

«Of course,» he accepted immediately and she heard, more than she saw him, tale several steps toward her.

«There are hooks in the middle, under the fabric strip,» she explained as she tried to keep all of her hair on the side on her face.

«Okay,» he said and she couldn't help but shudder as she felt his hot breath stroking the skin at the back of her neck.

Barely a second later she felt his fingers tentatively pushing some rebel strands aside and then closed around the side of the fabric. One by one, he started to unclip the hooks with a softness which surprised her. From time to time she felt his fingertips brushing inadvertently along her spine and each time she had to bit her lower lips a little harder to prevent herself from letting out a sigh.

He was quiet and the more his hands were touching her the more she was afraid that he would hear her heart beating harder and faster in her chest. At some point, she had closed her eyes and some inappropriate thoughts had started to take over her mind. He was close, so close that she knew that if he tilted his head a little, his lips would touch the skin just under her ear. And at that moment, God only knew how much she wanted him to. If he were to do it right now then she wouldn't stop him. She wouldn't stop him and worst of all she would reach for the back of his head and tilted hers back to grant him better access. He reached for her lower back and this time she couldn't prevent herself to shiver. Marcus said nothing but she knew he could feel it.

«Done,» he finally said after some minutes, before taking a step backward.

Abby opened her eyes and tried to shut up down the disappointment which was painfully clenching her heart.

«Thank you,» she breathed, still haunted by her thoughts.

«I'm maybe not a maid but according to the grounders I'm your second and second are cut out for that,» he told her playfully.

«You're not,» she exclaimed a little too abruptly as she turned around to face him.

«I mean, you're not my second. I'm maybe the one who wears the pins but… You know…,» she clarified, looking at him right in the eyes, wishing he would understand what she wasn't brave enough to say out loud.

«Yes, I know,» he confirmed with an affectionate smile, holding her gaze.

«No matter who wear the pin, we're in this together,» he assured her as he reached for her shoulder and gave it a warm squeeze to emphasize his words.

When Abby came back from the bathroom about ten minutes later, Marcus was standing near the window, looking at this magical place laying out in front of him. In the still of the night with the stars watching over a clear sky, the councilor felt like he was dreaming. Yes, the earth was made of pain and blood but not only that, not today. Despite everything that had happened since they landed: the war, the loss, the tears, at this moment, Marcus realized that he had never been so happy in all his life. Happiness was something he learnt to feel the day they landed. Happiness was something Abby, Clarke, Octavia, Bellamy, Lincoln, Indra and so many others were unconsciously teaching him every day.

As he heard the sound of her barefeet on the tiled floor, Marcus turned around and for the second time that day he almost forgot his own name. If she looked like a goddess a few minutes ago, now she looked like an angel. Abby was draped in a light white nightdress which seemed as fluid as water and if he stared long enough he could almost distinguish the creamy skin under the fabric. All her makeup was gone and her long caramel hair was cascading on her bare shoulders and along her back.

«I think I'll never be used to their clothes,» she said as she shyly crossed her arms over her chest to hide the lack of fabric between her breasts.

 _I already am_ , Marcus thought as he looked up at her face.

«It's still better than those recycled ones we wore on the Ark,» he said with a slight smile at the corner of his lips, trying to keep his gaze focused on her face and not on her glorious body.

«Well, probably, my last ones were so worn that it was almost transparent,» she joked.

«Yes, I remember,» he confirmed without thinking as he remembered how he sometimes couldn't help but stare at the worn fabric during some council meeting.

Her shirt wasn't really transparent but with the good light and a bit of concentration he was able to make out the edge of her bra and the pallor of the skin around it. And even if he would never admit it, this picture had haunted a lot of his nights.

Abby tilted her head a little and raised an eyebrow, a slight smile growing at the corner of her lips. Her expression made him realize the meaning of his words and he felt suddenly embarrassed.

«Which side do you prefer?», he hurried to ask to change the subject as he pointed out the bed.

«The left but–,» she started to answer but he didn't let her the time to end her sentence.

«Okay,» he breathed as he walked toward the bed and pulled back the cover.

Without a word he climbed into the bed and adjusted his pillow before laying on his back. He saw her starting to do the same but he couldn't help but notice that she seemed a little ill at ease. Her moves were hesitant, almost shy as she sat on the edge of the bed and lifted her legs to slide them under the cover. At that moment, Marcus saw the light fabric sliding a little along her thighs and then he saw it.

The view made his heart clench painfully in his chest.

«Does it still hurt?» the words came out of his mouth without his consent as he sat up beside her.

Abby stopped and turned her head toward him with a questioning look. She stared at him confused for a few seconds and then looked down.

«Oh,» she breathed and he knew that she understood about what he was speaking of.

The scar on her knee was still visible even if it was just a little circle lighter than rest of her skin. Someone who didn't know what happened would never have seen it but Marcus knew, he knew and he remembered too well.

«No. Not anymore,» she answered in a reassuring tone.

«Or, I should say not really,» she added one second later with a sad smile.

«What do you mean?», he asked frowning.

Abby pushed nervously a strand of her hair behind her ear and bit her bottom lips.

«I rarely remember my dreams or rather my nightmares but sometimes…,» she started before huffing a laugh like if she was thinking that what she was about to say was stupid.

«Sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night it's like I can still feel it…the drill… drilling in my bone,» she confessed almost shamefully.

«I'm so sorry Abby,» Marcus apologized as his fingers clenched around the edge of the cover instead of taking her in his arms as he really wanted to.

«Why?» she asked sincerely confused.

«I failed you. If Clarke…If she didn't have…,» Marcus tried to answer but the words died on the tip of his tongue.

«Hey,» Abby breathed softly.

«There is no if. She did it and I'm fine. I'm perfectly fine. This is just a scar,» she told him firmly but with a reassurance in her tone and in her eyes.

«But I–,» he tried to deny but she cut him off with a finger against his mouth.

A part of him swallowed hard but he was too haunted by his painful memories to be really thrilled by this unexpected physical contact.

«Give me your hand,» she whispered softly as she pulled back her hand and reached for his.

Marcus did tentatively what she was asking and let her lead his hand. She put it on her knee and he felt each of his muscle tense.

«See…This is just a scar,» she told him with a tender smile.

Marcus let his thumb brush softly against the damaged skin under his palm. His eyes were fixed on the rosy little circle which still haunted his worst nightmares. For a second he felt like he could still hear her scream but then she repeated her last words and in a way it calm him down. _This is just a scar…_

She was there, really there, safe and alive. He could felt the heat and the softness of her skin. He could felt the shiver starting to run along her legs as he unconsciously let his thumb stroke her knee in a larger and larger circle. He could hear her breathing becoming deeper and deeper as his others fingertips started to slide higher and higher along her thigh, inch by inch. But suddenly his little finger touched the edge of her nightdress and he realized what he was doing. He looked up at her and his gaze met hers. She was staring at him, her mouth half-opened and with an indefinable expression of her face.

They remained like this for a while, both unsure of what was going on, of what they were supposed to do. Marcus's hand was still on her leg, motionless, waiting for a permission she seemed to be considering.

«We should sleep,» she finally said in a whisper and Marcus had to fight hard to hide the deception which was surrounding him.

«Yes,» he agreed reluctantly as he hurried to pull back his hand.

A little confused about this unexpected moment, he laid back on the mattress and tried to not think about how her skin felt under his palm, of what might have happened. _You have no right to touch her like this, you never will,_ he told himself again and again and again but then she laid back beside him, on her side, facing him and he felt her hand reach for his. He stopped breathing for a second, unsure of what she was doing.

«Goodnight Marcus,» she breathed as she intertwined her fingers with his.

«Goodnight Abby,» he whispered back with a tender smile as he turned his head toward her.

Her eyes were closed and her head was an inch away from his shoulder. She looked peaceful at that moment, completely relaxed, and Marcus fell asleep to the vision of Abby's peaceful face.


	6. Chapter 6

The first thing she felt when she started to emerge from a deep and peaceful sleep was the warmth of the sunlight on her face and the softness of the mattress beneath her. This was, with no contest, the best sleep she had in a very long time.

Abby stretched out a little, keeping her eyes closed and enjoyed this feeling of well-being. Outside, the birds were burbling, foreshadowing a new beautiful day on earth. Each new sound was like a melody into her ears. Even the terrifying rumbling of the thunder had finally become something she liked to hear as she was snuggling on the couch of the war room. On the Ark, there was only this unbearable and continual ventilation noise, a noise which had become her sole companion after Jake and Clarke's arrest. A noise she still hated to hear and that's probably why she avoided as much as possible to sleep in her quiet bedroom. She preferred to fall asleep with the sound of Marcus' fingertips tapping on the data-pad or the sound of the metallic clanging of the medical instruments when Jackson washed them at the end of the day.

After a few seconds, she tried to lift her hand to rub her eyes but her it was stuck. Stuck by something warm, something slightly rough…something which was Marcus' hand, she realized as she turned her head.

She remembered that they fell asleep like this but she wouldn't have thought that he would hold her hand all night. His grip was firm around her fingers, like if he was afraid that she could disappear. This thought brought a light smile on her lips. She liked that… his protective side… the way he always kept an eye on her. On the Ark, he watched her too but not exactly for the same reasons… On the Ark, he was afraid of what she could do, but now, he was afraid of what could happen to her.

«Can I come in ?», Rannie's voice was suddenly raised from behind the curtains.

«Yes,» Abby answered as she sat up, taking reluctantly and carefully her hand off from Marcus' grip.

She felt him stretch out a little next to her as the maid came in with a basket in her arms.

«What time is it?», he asked with a husky voice as he sat up, his shoulder brushing against Abby's.

«Eight O'clock Sir,» Rannie told him with a polite curtsey.

«The prince would like to leave in one hour if it's alright for you,» she added as she put down the basket at the foot of the bed.

«It's alright,» Marcus mumbled as he lazily let his forehead lay on Abby's shoulder.

The latter froze a little, surprised by this kind of unusual gesture. Nonetheless, she kept smiling to the maid to not betray their cover. _He's probably still half-asleep, he doesn't realize what he's doing,_ she told herself, but anyway, feeling his hot breath against her neck didn't let her indifferent.

«Great! I brought you some clothes for the riding,» Rannie declared as she started to unpack the basket.

Abby started to nod politely but she suddenly had to bit her tongue to contain a gasp. Marcus' lips were now brushing lightly against her skin and it wasn't an accident. No, it wasn't, because a second later she felt him kiss her bare shoulder. Her fingers clenched around the cover and her mind went blank.

Rannie was still speaking but Abby wasn't able to understand the words anymore. Marcus was nibbling at the junction between the hollow of her throat and her collarbone and it was very distracting, both because it was really, really good and unexpected at the same time.

Trying her best to keep a neutral face Abby just nodded absentmindedly until the maid had finally left the room.

«What are you doing?» she hissed between her teeth.

«Polishing our cover,» Marcus whispered as he kept nuzzling into her neck, higher and higher.

«She's not even here to see,» she objected with a strangled voice.

«She'll come back,» he argued in a breath against her neck just before sucking at the spot under her jawline.

This time, when Abby opened her mouth, no words came out but only a strangled moan. Without her consent, her head fell back, her body yearning for more.

In the back of her mind, she knew that something was wrong. Since when Marcus was so bold with her? That wasn't something he would do without asking her permission first. Not that she was complaining but, in a way, it was strange. Strange but good, so good that she could already felt her lower belly catching fire. So good that she felt shivers running along her spine So good that she felt her breath catching in her throat. So good that–

«The breakfast is ready, I—Oh,» Rannie broke off, lowering her gaze.

Abby opened her eyes, flushed with both arousal and embarrassment. She discretely tried to push Marcus away but he worked harder on her neck.

«Thank you, we– We're coming,» Abby managed to say, almost out of breath.

«Good. The Prince will wait for you at the gates,» the maid told her before leaving the room, chuckling.

«She's gone, you can stop now,» Abby breathed out when she heard the door slammed.

«I sure can but…should I?» Marcus asked her with a teasing voice without stopping his ministrations, quite the contrary.

Abby swallowed hard. This was crazy, this was dangerous but damn how could she ask him to stop? She wasn't strong enough to fight against the pleasure of feeling Marcus' mouth devouring her neck. She wanted more, she needed more and when she finally felt his hand set down on her thigh she knew that she was lost for good.

«No,» she gasped and he smiled against her neck.

«No,» she gulped and he pushed her down on her back.

«No, please,» she begged and he climbed on top of her, settling between her opened thighs.

«Wake up,» a voice resonated suddenly from nowhere and everything vanished around her.

«Abby wake up,» the voice said again and her eyes flew open.

«Marcus?» she breathed out, befuddled.

«You were having a nightmare,» Marcus told her, frowning with worry.

She blinked several times as she tried to piece things together. She looked around and realized that it was just a dream. Yes, just a dream but yet, the fire in her lower belly was still there, like the ghost of Marcus' lips on her sweaty skin.

«Did I?» she asked innocently as she sat up, rubbing her flushed face.

«Yes, you were pleading and moaning and-,» Marcus explained, trying to catch her gaze.

Abby couldn't help but huff a laugh. If only he knew the truth…

«I'm sorry,» she apologized, shifting slightly away from him.

«Do you want to talk about it?» he insisted with concern, putting tentatively his hand on her shoulder.

«No,» she declined curtly, flinching under his touch.

«Abby, are you ok–», Marcus started to ask, frowning but he was cut off.

«Can I come in?», Rannie's voice was suddenly raised from behind the curtains.

Abby felt her heart miss a beat. Her dream…It began like this. She gave a sidelong look to Marcus who was still staring at her.

«Yes,» she answered tentatively, her fingers clenching absentmindedly around the cover.

«Morning,» the girl said as she walked in, with a basket in her arms.

«The prince would like to leave in one hour if it's alright with you,» she informed them as she put down the basket at the foot of the bed.

Abby's mouth felt opened as a kind of panic was washing over her.

«It's alright,» Marcus responded, his hand, still on her shoulder, sliding very slightly down her shoulder blade.

The movement made her gasp.

«Abby?» Marcus questioned her with a suspicious look, pulling his hand back.

«I'm okay,» she assured briefly without looking at him, cursing herself internally for being so stupid.

Prophetic dreams didn't exist, especially those where Marcus jumps on her like a male in heat. Fortunately or not.

«We'll be ready,» she told Rannie who nodded in agreement before leaving the room.

«So you decided to come?» Marcus asked her with a smirk.

«Yes. I need some fresh air,» she responded quickly before jumping off the bed.

* * *

One hour later, they were waiting for the royal family outside the gates. Marcus was still staring suspiciously at her but she couldn't blame him for that. In fact, she had barely look at him in the eyes since they woke up and it was clearly unusual.

«It would appear that someone enjoys a lot your grounder's style,» Raven teased her, pointing discretely Marcus out with a head movement.

Abby let out a sigh and crossed her arms over her chest to hide her bare stomach. Unsurprisingly, the clothes provided by the royal couple hadn't been made to keep warm, quite the contrary. In fact, the Chancellor was wearing white pants and a mini white top which covered only her breasts and saying that was already too much because, to be true, it was split in the middle. On top of her outfit, she was also wearing a gold jacket which was useless given that she couldn't zip it at all.

«It's not that,» Abby denied in an annoyed tone.

«Whatever you say…,» the mechanic said, rolling her eyes.

Barely two minutes later, the royal family and their court showed up with enough horses for everyone. Everybody seemed happy about the riding, excepted Abby who still wasn't used to horses. She liked them of course, how couldn't she? They were beautiful and majestic but she couldn't help but be a little scared of them. She had ridden several times at Arkadia with Octavia and Marcus but they always held the reins.

«Hey, take this one, he's a good horse, calm and obedient,» a woman's voice said behind her.

Abby turned around and saw the queen's sister, Circia, handed her the reins of a magnificent black and white stallion.

«I heard your friends worrying about you and the riding,» the woman explained with a light smile.

The chancellor stared at her for a second, both suspicious and surprised. It was the first time that the queen's sister spoke to her without being obliged.

«Thank you,» Abby finally answered with a polite smile.

«You're welcome. His name is Meizen,» Circia told her, stroking the horse's neck.

Abby started to nod but she stopped as she realized that she had already heard this word. «Meizen» She looked down, thinking. The word was echoing in her mind and strangely it was with Marcus' voice.

«Does that mean something?» she asked, trying to collect her memories.

«Yes. It means beautiful,» Circia answered.

Abby's mind went blank for a second as she remembered. Marcus used that word with the little girl the previous day. _«Em ste meizen, nami?»_ She had learned enough from Lincoln for having understood the first part of the sentence but she didn't know what «meizen» meant. _«She is beautiful, isn't she?»_ , that was what he had told her. Of course, he had also said that she was magnificent before the ceremony but, at that moment, she was wearing a wonderful grounder's dress and she had makeup all over her face. On the street, she was just herself, covered in sweat and wearing her usual and worn clothes. She bit her lower lip, trying to hide the happy smile which was growing there.

«He is for sure,» Abby finally said before taking the reins the woman was still handing her.

Circia gave her a quick nod and then saddled up in a swift movement. The chancellor gripped the pommel and tried to do the same but this wasn't as easy than she expected. Her foot left the ground but she didn't succeed to get her leg over the back of the horse.

«Do you want some help?» the queen's sister asked her with an unhidden amused smile.

«No! I can do this. I just need to–» Abby denied proudly, as she tried again.

This time, she felt herself almost thrown up in the air by two powerful hands pushing the back of her thighs. She let out a gasp and held herself up to the pommel.

«Marcus,» she breathed out as she saw him next to the horse, looking at her smugly.

«Marcus Kom Natshanakru, good morning,» Circia greeted him with an alluring tone which made Abby rolled her eyes.

«Circia, good morning to you,» he greeted her back politely before looking at Abby again.

«You're gonna be okay?» he asked her, his hand laying on her calf.

To be honest, he was especially worried about her today. Both because she had never really ridden a horse and because she was acting weird since they woke up. She had a nightmare, particularly horrible given the strength of her pleas. She hadn't wanted to talk about it but he couldn't help but think that he should have insisted more.

«Yes,» she assured him as she shifted a little to find a more comfortable position on her saddle.

«Good,» he said with a pinched smile, as he squeezed lightly her leg.

«Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on your fiancée,» Circia simpered with a provocative wink.

Even if it was getting to be a habit, Marcus still felt a little unsettle.

«Thank you, your Highness,» he responded with an embarrassed chuckle.

«Be careful,» he told Abby who nodded before walking toward his horse.

The chancellor stared at him until he was out of her sight. She suddenly felt a little confused. The situation was becoming strange. She was realizing that she didn't know what was real and what was faking anymore. Only one day and she already couldn't say if they were playing a role or not. Coming to make sure she will be okay would be what a husband would do but it was also what Marcus always did. He always worried about her and always checked that she was fine. Even without all this game they already acted like if they were married. The kids were right, she realized. They were more than Chancellor and councilor, and even more, they were more than just friends…

«Do you mind if I ride with you?» Circia's voice made her come back to reality.

«No. Not at all,» Abby answered reluctantly with a forced smile.

Even if, she usually liked people, Abby had kept her bad habit to classify them into two categories: good people and bad people. She had a Manichean worldview and she knew that it was one of her most serious flaws, but she couldn't help. Of course, Circia had quickly won her place in the bad people group. Trying to seduce Marcus right in front of her wasn't a way to make a first good impression, far from it. Nonetheless, Abby internally knew that it was puerile to react like that, after all, she had barely spoken with her and it was unfair to judge her so promptly.

After severals minutes, the group started to set off with the kids leading the way. The royal couple and Marcus were just behind them followed by the Royal Guard. Abby and Circia were riding side by side, ahead of the remaining members of the royal court.

As she was enjoying the landscape, Abby heard Raven challenging Prince Dael to race. Immediately, the doctor inside her couldn't help but think that it was a bad idea. The girl's leg was still hurting and overdoing the muscles will undoubtedly make it worst. Abby opened her mouth, ready to warn her but at the same moment, the mechanic turned her head a little and the expression of pure joy on her face made her hold back her tongue. Raven was radiant like she had probably never been in all her life.

«My sister asked me to keep my distance with you future husband,» Circia suddenly declared with a smirk at the corner of her lips.

Abby turned abruptly her head toward her, speechless. She didn't know what to say, she hadn't seen it coming.

«She also asked- or rather ordered- me to apologize to you,» she added in a conversational tone.

«No, I…There is no need,» Abby muttered, ill at ease.

«You didn't seem in a romantic relationship at the summit, I couldn't have presumed,» the queen's sister kept talking, like if she was just speaking about the weather.

Abby bit her lower lip, preventing herself from pointing her out that she was well aware of the nature of their relation the previous evening.

«Yes, we…, we wanted to keep it quiet,» she explained instead as she swayed uncomfortably on her saddle.

«I understand,» Circia said with a nod before returning her attention on the skyline.

Abby held back a sigh of relief when the queen's sister didn't ask anything more. Being to precise about her lies was dangerous. It was best to remain evasive about it.

They rode quietly again for several minutes but without warning, Circia re-entered the fray.

«It's lovely by the way,» the woman declared with a pinched smile.

«What?» Abby asked on her guard.

«The way you still look at each other…You know, like if you always want to jump on each other and tear each other's clothes off,» Circia clarified with a chuckle.

Abby's mouth fell open without her consent.

«Sorry?» she breathed out, blinking.

«Yeah, you two just devour each other with your eyes. Especially him to be true, it's like looking at a carnivore staring at his prey,» Circia taunted with a malicious look.

Abby shook her head, giggling with embarrassment.

«You exaggerate,» she responded, her cheeks turning red.

«Not at all,» the queen's sister disagreed, smiling from ear to ear.

Abby stared at her for a second, wondering if the woman was sincere or if she was playing a game where she didn't know the rules. There must be some truth in her words either way. That was probably why she couldn't help but uncontrollably shiver almost every time she caught her councilor's gaze on her. And if she was totally honest with herself, Abby would have admitted that the way Marcus was looking at her the previous night, as his hand was on her leg, wasn't a look you shared with a friend. Discretely, Abby looked up and a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth when her eyes landed on Marcus' back. Throwing all her doubts and fears away was tempting, damn so tempting, but still, it wouldn't be reasonable, not for leaders.

«And you? You're not married I heard,» Abby told the queen's sister, trying to change the subject.

Circia huffed a laugh and shook her head.

«No, I'm not. To be honest, I get bored very quickly,» she explained with a connivance wink.

Abby smiled and nodded.

«I know what you mean. You know, before we landed there, I've been married for almost twenty years to Clarke's father. It wasn't easy every day, marriage requires work, but it worths it,» she told her, a touch of faded melancholy overwhelming her.

Circia shrugged nonchalantly.

«You don't seem to have to work very hard with Marcus. I mean, the love between you two it's pretty natural, it looks like an evidence for someone who looks at you,» she retorted and this time Abby noticed a bit of true sincerity in her tone.

«We've come a long way,» she confessed before chewing her lower lip.

«What do you mean?» Circia questioned her, raising an eyebrow, her curiosity visibly piqued.

«It's a long and not so pleasant story, I'm sure you don't want to hear it,» Abby responded, shaking her head with an embarrassed smile.

«Humm, let me judge of that, we have all the afternoon by the way,» the queen's sister retorted, clearly not ready to give up.

«I don't even know where I should start,» Abby confessed with a sigh.

«Try the beginning. When did you meet him?» Circia encouraged her to tell her story.

«Well, on the Ark everybody knew each other by sight but the first time I spoke to him I was fourteen maybe fifteen. He was a friend of a friend so when my parents agreed to let me go to parties we started to saw each other more frequently,» she started to explain as memories from a distant past were coming back to her mind.

«He was an asshole at that time, I know he doesn't look like it now but believe me, he was an ass. The only times he spoke to me were to prove me wrong. Every single time his sentence began by _no Abby, you're wrong,_ » she told her, unable to hold back a chuckle at the memory.

«Maybe it was the only way he found to draw your attention,» Circia suggested with a knowing look.

«I…No– I really don't think so. He said I was capricious and spoiled rotten. He called me _her highness_ behind my back,» she denied with an amused smile at the corner of her lips.

«Teenage boys can be silly when they have a crush on a girl,» the queen's sister insisted playfully.

Abby rolled her eyes and huffed a laugh. No, it wasn't possible. The Marcus Kane she knew during her childhood was far from having a crush on her. He just hated her without any reason.

«Anyway, I got married to Clarke's father, I became a doctor and I was designated as a council member,» she kept talking, a sad smile tugged at her lips as she remembered the happier part of her life on the Ark.

«And Marcus? Did he marry someone?» Circia questioned her.

«No, he didn't. He became Chief of the guard which was consistent with a sit at the council and he started to go out with my best friend Ca–,» Abby stopped speaking brutally.

She hadn't pronounced this name since what felt like an eternity. She felt her heart tighten in her chest and a lump in her throat.

«Callie, her name was Callie» she managed to say with a strangled voice.

She hadn't thought about Callie since they landed. She hadn't even had a minute to grieve her. With everything, she hadn't had time to allow herself to mourn her best friend's death. A wave of emotion overwhelmed her and she had to fight hard against it.

«Was?» Circia repeated, in a soft tone.

Abby swallowed hard and nodded.

«Yes, she didn't make it to the ground,» she explained before taking a deep breath to collect herself.

«I'm sorry,» Circia told her sincerely.

«Me too,» Abby responded in a lower tone, her eyes shining with tears.

«Was it serious? I mean, their relationship?» Circia asked her after several seconds.

«I–I don't know. It wasn't official. I think I was the only one who knew about it. Honestly, Callie and I didn't talk a lot about it. In hindsight, I think she avoided to tell me about what was going on between them because each time she brought up the subject I couldn't help but tell her that she deserved better. That Marcus wasn't a good man. So, at some point she just stopped talking to me about him,» she explained, regretting deeply to haven't been there for Callie like she was every time she and Jake were in a bad shape.

«And then? What made you came around on him?» the queen's sister questioned her, a playful smile appearing again on her lips.

«Then everything fell apart. Our home was dying. My husband has been executed and my daughter has been sent to the ground. I blamed Marcus for that. It was unfair, I see it now. We had the same goal, saving our people but we disagreed about the way we should do it, » she related, not mentioning the details, like the day he tried to float her.

In fact, she had never hold it against him. She knew the consequences of her actions and, at that time, with no news of Clarke, she had nothing left to lose. Marcus did what he was supposed to do and she knew that this decision will ever weight upon his mind.

«I think I can say that the things started to change between us after we landed. We still had sticking point but…I don't know…I think we both learned from our mistakes and we just started to listen to each other, to understand each other,» she kept explaining, the words starting to leave her mouth without thinking.

«He made the first move. He showed me, in the most unexpected way that he trusted me, he literally entrusted our people lives in my hands by making me Chancellor,» she said as Marcus' words were resonating in her head : _I hear you, you know_.

He didn't only give her the chancellor's pins that day, he also left to look for the kids, for Clarke. He made sure that nobody else would be hurt by sending his guards away before trying to build an alliance with Lexa even if there was a risk for him to die.

«I think the earth had revealed the best of him, the part of his personality he never let anyone saw when we were on the Ark. He cares about his people, about me with all his heart. He's a natural leader. He understands the earth, your people, this new world like nobody does. He's made for this, he's born for this,» she said, her breath becoming shorter and her heart beating faster at each sentence.

She wasn't talking to Circia anymore, she was talking to herself. She was putting her feelings into words. Words which were coming from the deepest part of her heart.

«So, when did you realize that you were in love with him?» Circia asked her with a smile.

Abby blinked several times and she found herself speechless. If the story she was telling had been just a lie it would have been easy to invent something but, at the end, it wasn't that simple. She felt confused, disconcerted, caught off guard by the question. She didn't know what to say because in a way, the border which existed some days ago in her mind, was now a gray area where the lies met the reality.

«Circia,» a voice called out from the head of the group.

«It seems we have to finish this little talk later,» the queen's sister told her before making a sign toward her nephew.

Abby could only nod, still baffled because of the revelation which was taking root in her mind. She didn't want to believe it but the truth was that she might be in love with Marcus Kane. It would make sense. It would explain a lot of things.

«I envy you, you know. And not just because he's really really hot,» Circia confessed, laughing lightly.

The confession pulled Abby out from her self-reflection.

«I'm sure you'll find someone one day,» she assured her with an encouraging smile.

Circia huffed a laugh and rolled her eyes.

«Yeah… I haven't been totally honest a bit earlier…In fact, I did know someone I wished to marry with…,» she said her eyes unusually shifty.

«What happened?» Abby inquired with a frown.

«He married my sister,» Circia breathed out with a bitter smile before whipping her horse and riding away in a cloud of sand.


	7. Chapter 7

After almost two hours of riding, they finally stopped on top of a sand dune. From there, they could look for miles and miles around and for some minutes, everyone reminded quiet, just admiring the point of view. Sand as far as the eye could see. No trace of water and no trace of life but suddenly a dark spot coming out of nowhere seemed to take life at the bottom of the dune.

" _Fox_ ," a guard exclaimed, pointing out the small shape but as soon at it appeared, the animal disappeared into a crevasse.

The king ordered to raised up a sumptuous pergola and to prepare the hawks. Several minutes later, Abby found herself sitting on comfortable cushions, protected from the sun, a glass of fresh grape juice in one hand and a sweet pastry in the other. Around them, the men were carrying majestic hawks on their forearm. The raptors were kept in the dark by little helmets and seemed remarkably calm. They were impressive and probably as dangerous as beautiful.

" _Hold your arm_ ," she heard the Prince said to Raven. " _Be careful, it's heavy_ ," he warned her before transferring a hawk from his arm to hers.

" _Oh my God, look at his claws_ ," the mechanic exclaimed as the animal dug his claws into her special glove.

She was smiling but the way her eyes were wide-opened betrayed her anxiety.

" _Keep your arm straight_ ," Prince Dael told her, lifting her elbow a little up. " _Good. Looks like you did that all your life,_ " he complimented her in a lower tone, making the others kids exchange a knowing look.

" _Can we…Can we touch it?_ " an amazed Marcus asked.

" _Of course,_ " the Prince answered, shifting a little to let the councilor come closer.

" _They're amazing,_ " Marcus said as he reached tentatively his hand out toward the chest of the bird.

The hawk stayed still as Marcus' fingers started to brush lightly against its plumage.

" _Abby !_ " Marcus called suddenly for her. " _Do you want to touch it?_ " he offered her with a large and almost boyish smile.

Abby loved to see that smile on his face. She loved to see him marveling at the beauty of the world. She loved to see him happy. Since they landed, he was always so enthusiasm about everything that she couldn't help but thank all the gods and the entire universe for not having let him die on the Ark even if he thought that it was what he deserved. Marcus Kane didn't deserve to die in space, he deserved to leave on earth more than anyone.

" _Oh no, I…I'm fine,_ " she declined anyway, too impressed by the imposing raptor.

" _Don't worry, it won't hurt you,_ " Circia told her with a reassuring smile.

Abby looked at her and then looked back at Marcus who was now reaching out to her. She couldn't tell him no when he was looking at her like that, when he was telling her, just with his eyes, that a positive answer would make him the happiest man on earth. She hesitated for some seconds, torn between her fear of the raptor and her want to please him.

" _Okay,"_ she finally agreed, getting up.

" _Come here,_ " he told her in a gentle voice, inviting her to stand between him and the hawk.

She swallowed hard about being that close to the raptor but she did as he said. She moved in front of him and she immediately felt one of his hand land on her hips.

" _He won't move,_ " he assured her, almost whispering in her ear.

Abby took a deep breath and nodded. She felt nervous, both because she was afraid of the hawk and because she could felt Marcus' chest pressed against her back. She started to lift her hand but the raptor shook its head at the same moment.

" _It's okay,_ " Marcus reassured her, taking her hand in his.

She let him guide her hand until her fingertips brushed against the plumage. This time, the hawk didn't move and she started to relax. She let her fingers slide along the bird's chest, Marcus' hand still accompanied her movement. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth and she tilted her head a little to look briefly at her councilor over her shoulder. He caught her gaze and smiled back at her.

" _Seems we found a perfect wedding gift for you guys,_ " Raven mocked them with a wink.

" _What a wonderful idea,_ " the queen exclaimed. " _Don't you think?_ " she asked her husband.

Raven burst out laughing, making the hawk panic and flap nervously his wings. Abby yelped and pulled brutally her hand away. The raptor writhed, even more, this time squealing and the chancellor turned instinctively around, hiding her face in Marcus' chest in panic. She felt his arms close protectively around her shoulders as he pulled her backward with him.

Behind her, Prince Dael was whispering some words in Trigedasleng and quickly the raptor became quiet again. Abby turned her head lightly, still well protected in Marcus' arms and looked at the Prince who was taking back the hawk on his arm.

" _I'm sorry,_ " Raven apologized shamefully.

" _Don't be. I should've warned you, they don't like loud noises,_ " Dael explained before pulling off the helmet from the head of the hawk.

As soon as he recovered its sight, the raptor spread his wings and let out what sounded like a whoop of delight. Abby winced and leaned harder against Marcus' chest. The latter noticed her new wave of panic and tightened his embrace around her little frame as one of his hands started to slide up and down her spine in a reassuring move.

" _Wow, that's…that's incredible,_ " Marcus went into raptures when the raptor flew away in a swift movement.

Abby followed it with her eyes, both marvel and scared at the same time. Her mouth was half opened as she looked at it twirling gracefully in the air and suddenly stop to fly circularly.

" _He saw something,_ " Dael exclaimed joyfully. " _On your horse,_ " he commanded as he raced himself toward his mount.

Abby felt Marcus' gaze looking for hers. She looked up at him and offered him a wide smile. She knew him all too well by now.

" _Go,_ " she told him, adjusting the collar she had creased in her panic.

" _But—_ " he tried to object but she didn't let him the time to argue.

She knew he wanted to go with the hunters and she also knew that he didn't want to leave her side, so she made the choice for him.

" _I said go,_ " she said again. " _Chancellor's order,_ " she added teasingly.

He stared at her for some seconds and finally huffed an amused laugh.

" _Yes ma'am,_ " he breathed out, leaning a little forward and before she could realize what he was doing, his lips were pressed lightly against her cheek.

Her mind went blank and a quiet gasp escaped her throat. It wasn't more than what she had done herself during the banquet, quick and chaste but still, she couldn't help but feel a little feverish.

" _Take care of my future wife for me, Ladies_ ," Marcus told Circia and Selyne jokingly and they both nodded in agreement.

" _See you soon,_ " he told her with a conniving look before running toward the King who was waiting for him next to his horse.

Abby stayed with the Queen and her sister while the kids and Marcus were sampling the pleasures of the hunt with Hawks. At first, she tried to keep her distance. She remained rather quiet, giving short answers to the women questions in order to protect her little secret. But soon she started to relax and she told them about the life in space. No wanting to ruin the mood, Abby avoided the demoralizing subjects like the executions or the rationing but instead she spoke about the little pleasures. She told them about the Sweethearts' room, a not-so-secret room of the Power station with a large bay window where teenagers went to flirt with their crush, under the watchful of the stars. She explained how some parents were sometimes standing guard in front of the door and chased away the tykes but she didn't explain that it was especially because they were scared to death of an illegal pregnancy. She also told them about the Unity Day, reciting roughly the speech she had once known but without mentioning the true story of the thirteenth station. She spoke about the Eden Tree and its Caretaker, Vera Kane, and how the Ground had become the Heaven for the people of the Ark. In memory of Marcus' mother Abby whispered the traveler's blessing _In peace, may you leave the shore. In love, may you find the next. Safe passage on your travels until our final journey to the ground. May we meet again_ and unexpectedly, Circia and Selyne echoed the last sentence respectfully.

Once the moment of reverence passed, Circia started to question her about the others men from the Ark and Abby couldn't help but burst out laughing. Even if she knew everyone in Arkadia she had never thought about the men as the way the queen's sister was asking. She took a minute of reflexion and the first name who came up in her mind was Jackson's. She mentally pictured him with Circia and the thought made her giggle. No, Jackson was too young and too pure to deal with such a woman like her. She probably would eat him alive.

 _"C'mon, I'm sure you're hiding some treasure,_ " Circia pressed her playfully. _"I understand that you don't want to share Marcus but at least don't keep all Moonmen for yourself,_ " she joked before taking a sip of grape juice.

 _"I don't, really. It's just that no names pops into my head right now,_ " she said honestly, smiling.

" _What names?_ " Marcus' voice asked behind her.

Abby turned her head and saw him and the King getting down their horses. Behind them, Clarke was sharing her saddle with a not-so-happy Raven.

" _What happened? Where are the others?_ " Abby worried immediately, leaping up on her feet.

" _Nothing,_ " Raven mumbled abruptly as Marcus helped her to get down.

" _She fell from her horse,_ " the king explained. " _And I'm too old for this kind of activity,_ " he added, as he let himself fall heavily on the cushions next to his wife.

" _No, you're not,_ " Selyne told him as she cupped his jaw and kissed him languorously.

Meanwhile, Abby rushed to the mechanic. She immediately put her arm around her waist to support her.

" _How's your leg?_ " she inquired as she saw Raven wincing in pain.

" _I'm fine,_ " Raven muttered with anger.

" _She's not,_ " Clarke objected as she got down her horse in turn.

" _Shut up Clarke,_ " the mechanic spat, glaring at her.

" _Okay honey, would you just sit down there,_ " Abby cut off the fight, leading Raven toward a stack of cushions. " _Easy_ ," she breathed as she helped her to sit.

" _Do you need something?_ " the queen asked as Abby elevated the girl's leg with cushions.

" _No thanks_ ," Raven answered bitterly.

The chancellor offered Selyne an embarrassed smile and mouthed a sorry because of the mechanic's rudeness. Once Raven sitting comfortably, Abby went back to her previous seat and shifted a little to let Marcus sit next to her.

 _"So…What were you talking about, ladies?_ " Azilis asked, trying to break the heavy silent which was falling upon them.

" _Well, my beloved sister wanted to know if there were some free men for her among the Moonpeople_ ," Selyne explained with an amused smile at the corner of her lips.

" _Who did you talk about?_ " Clarke asked her mother, chuckling.

" _Nobody. I don't have any idea,_ " Abby answered shrugging.

" _What about Jacks–,_ " Marcus started to speak but as soon as the first syllable left his mouth, Abby silenced him with a finger upon his lips.

" _No way,_ " she objected, shaking her head.

Raven seemed to forget sulking because she suddenly burst out laughing.

" _Are you kidding? Jackson isn't cut out for this_ ," she declared, rolling her eyes. " _What about Jude Hawkings?"_ she offered, raising an eyebrow.

" _Who?_ " Clarke asked.

" _IT engineer, about 40 years old, blue eyes, dark hair,_ " Raven described the man. _"I saw him training with the guard last week, quite a show,_ " she added, winking at Circia.

" _That sounds interesting. I can't wait to visit you,_ " the latter said with a smirk.

" _You probably should reconsidering your seduction technique then,_ " Selyne mocked her.

" _What's the problem with it?_ " Circia asked in a fake innocent tone.

" _Maybe a little too aggressive,_ " Marcus made fun of her gently and everybody laughed.

" _Okay I see, then tell me, Marcus Kane of the Moonpeople, how did she catch you?_ " the queen sister said, grinning.

Marcus' smile immediately faded away and Abby felt her cheeks caught fire.

" _Oh yes, Kane ! Tell us about your first kiss,_ " Raven pressed him, smirking.

Abby glared at her discretely and shifted on her seat in embarrassment.

" _I…I don't think…,_ " Marcus stumbled, clearly ill-at-ease.

" _C'mon Kane,_ " Raven insisted before exchanging a conniving look with Clarke.

The councilor cleared his throat and turned his head toward Abby.

" _Maybe you should…,_ " he offered her tentatively but she immediately understood what he was trying to do and she shook her head.

" _Oh no, you're a better storyteller than I am,_ " she cut him off.

Abby knew that she was sneaking off but she didn't feel able to come up with a good lie in such a short time.

" _Okay then…_ ," Marcus said before letting out a deep sigh. " _It was a dull day, the weather was threatening but you know your mother, she never listens,_ " he started to tell, looking at Clarke who nodded in agreement with a smile. " _So that day she had decided to go pick some healing herbs she had seen several days before. I told her it was a bad idea but she went anyway and I had to follow her_ " he kept talking and Abby rolled her eyes. " _Of course, it started to rain and soon we were soaking wet. We ran right back home and once inside we started to argue. Hard. So much so, that she threw her jacket at me_ ," he said and everyone laughed.

Everyone excepted Abby who began to realize that he wasn't making up a false story. She remembered this day, even if she had tried to forget it, she remembered it perfectly well. She tried to catch Marcus' gaze but he was staring at nothing.

" _I don't know what came over me…She was there, her long hair curling around her face, water droplets running all along her cheek to her lips and…,_ " he kept talking in a lower voice and at each new words, Abby felt her heart beat faster and stronger in her chest.

She could picture the scene in her head. She could still smell the scent of wet grass and humus all around her. She could still felt the magnetic field which was enveloping them, letting nothing else pass through but the sound of their erratic breathing due to the run and their argument.

 _"I stopped thinking. I went closer to her and she didn't pull back so…_ ," he said, stopping a second to inhale deeply.

 _So nothing, because Jasper Jordan walked in and stopped whatever was going to happen._

" _So, I grabbed her face and I kissed her,_ " he breathed out and this time he turned his head and look at her right in the eyes.

Abby swallowed hard. For a long second, her heart stopped beating and her stomach clenched. Her gaze flickered to Marcus' lips and back up. She saw his do the same and she felt like the earth was washing away from beneath her.

" _How did she react?_ " Selyne asked with excitement in her voice.

Marcus shook his head like if he was trying to collect his thoughts and turned his head toward her.

" _She–,_ " he began to answer but Abby didn't let him.

 _"I kissed him back,_ " she declared abruptly, her voice a little hoarse. " _I grabbed the reverse of his jacket and I kissed him back_ ," she asserted firmly and she wasn't lying. She would have kissed him back. She would have answered his kiss openly, overtly, unrestrainedly. Oh yes, she would have.

Clarke and Raven were now looking at her curiously but she didn't care, she didn't think about it. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest and the heat of the sun was making her head spin. She blinked several times and then looked back at Marcus. He was staring at her, probably as confused as she was. She could read the quiet question in his eyes, the same which was spinning again and again in her mind: _Was it what they both wanted? Was it what would have happened if Jasper hadn't walked in?_ She could feel everyone's eyes upon them and suddenly, both because she knew that it was what lovers would do and because she was craving it, she cupped Marcus' jaw, leaned toward him and _finally_ captured his lips with hers.


	8. Chapter 8

Once back at Delphis, Abby had shut herself away, pretending that she wanted to visit the royal gardens. Accompanied by two warriors of the queen's guard, she was meandering between the paths lined with lemon trees and aromatic plants. The sun was going down and the sweltering heat of the day was more bearable.

As she arrived at the center of the gardens, she sat on the edge of a wonderful fountain and let her fingers brushed absentmindedly the water surface. Everything around her was a delight for the eyes but she wasn't really looking. Her mind wasn't there. It had stayed miles away, lost between sand dunes and a moment of madness.

She had kissed Marcus Kane. She had kissed him not because it was the right thing to do to polish their cover but because she had suddenly felt the urge to taste his lips, to find out what it would felt like to stop thinking and to do what she was craving for, for several weeks now.

The rational part of her brain was telling her that it was a mistake, that she had crossed a dangerous line and that she was playing with fire but the emotional part was also pointing out to her that she had enjoyed it, really enjoyed it and that she hadn't felt this kind of powerful emotions in years.

She had kissed him and he had kissed her back. She had felt his lips move in harmony with hers, brushing them at first and then stroking them with more confidence. If she thought more precisely about it, she could almost still feel his beard scratching lightly her skin, she could almost still feel the tip of his tongue teasing her bottom lips and she could almost still taste the flavor of his mouth.

She didn't know how she really felt about it. On one hand, she couldn't suppress the little smile of happiness at the corner of her mouth but on the other hand, she felt scared and filled with worried. Could this work? Her and Marcus as a couple? She wasn't sure to be ready to take that risk. To take the risk of screwing everything they had succeeded to build since they land.

" _Hi,_ " a female voice resonated suddenly behind her.

Abby turned her head and saw Circia walking toward her, wearing what could be called a casual outfit for a woman of the sun Nation. She was dressed in white with a simple crock-top and a skirt whose splits made honor to her muscled and slender legs. Her long hair was down and was glistening in the sunlight.

" _I'm surprised to find you there. I thought you were getting ready for the dinner_ ," Circia told her as she sat next to her, crossing graciously her legs.

" _I wanted to take a walk in the gardens before night_ ," Abby explained forcing a smile on her lips.

Circia pressed her lips together and nodded slightly. Abby could guess that she might had more question about her but she wasn't in the mood to talk, not after what happened with Marcus.

" _Are you alright? You were very quiet on the way back_ ," the woman pointed out after a few quiet seconds, turning her head to stare at the Chancellor with an half-concerned half-suspicious expression.

" _Yes. Yes, I am,_ " Abby hurried to answer, trying to sound convincing. " _I'm just a little tired, I think_ ," she added with a pinched smile as she ran a nervous hand trough her hair.

The answered didn't seem to satisfy completely the queen's sister because she kept looking at her with an inscrutable face.

" _Leave us,_ " she ordered abruptly, turning her head toward the two warriors.

The men shared a look and then looked back at the queen's sister.

" _But your sister said–_ " one of them started to object but Circia cut him off with a wave of her hand.

" _Don't worry about that, I'm perfectly able to take care of our guest myself,_ " she stated. " _Don't you remember our last training together Kilyan?_ " she added sardonically, raising an eyebrow at him.

The other guard huffed a laugh and looked at his feet.

A flash of anger seemed to cross the gaze of the man named Kilyan but after a second he bowed reluctantly his head. " _As you wish, your Majesty,_ " he conceded before giving his companion a nudge.

Guessing that Circia was probably about to venture the conversation onto dangerous ground, Abby decided to take the lead and to chose the subject herself.

" _You fight?_ " she asked her casually as the guards were walking away.

Circia looked back at her and chuckled, pushing her long hair over her shoulder.

" _Well, I used to but I found a much better way to resolve conflicts_ ," she told her with a conniving look.

Abby tilted her head and frown.

" _You mean…Poisons?_ " she asked, uncertain.

" _Yes, that too,_ " Circia said as her smile get bigger and more wicked, letting no more doubts about what she was really talking about.

" _Oh,_ " Abby breathed out as she finally understood the meaning of Circia's words.

Even if Lincoln had told them about the way of the Sun Nation to celebrate and keep the peace, it still felt strange to hear about it.

Probably aware of her unease, Circia laughed loudly and shook her head.

" _You know, if you and your people were more opened about your sexuality, you wouldn't be in that situation_ ," she said with a teasing smile.

Abby felt her blood run cold in her veins and her heart missed a beat. Did she know something? Was their cover blown? The atmosphere seemed suddenly too hot to breathe easily.

" _What…What do you mean?_ " she asked tentatively as a wave of panic started to wash over her.

Circia's smile got bigger as she rolled her eyes ostensibly.

" _You're good actors, I'll give you that but I'm not blind,_ " she told her almost playfully.

Abby blinked several times, speechless. She could feel her blood turned to ice in her veins She didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to deny this. If Circia knew and if she denounced them to the queen and the king then the crisis would be serious. The skypeople wouldn't be just invaders, they also would be liars, traitors.

" _Sorry I– I don't know what you're talking about_ ," Abby said as she stood up abruptly. " _I– I need to go, I can't be late for dinner,"_ she took leave, ill-at-ease, her heart beating faster and faster in her chest.

Circia knew and clearly, no word would convince her otherwise. She needed to warn Marcus as soon as possible. They needed to be ready if thing went wrong.

Abby took a first step to leave but Circia caught her knuckle, pinning her in place. She turned her head toward the queen's sister, expecting a threat or worst but unexpectedly, Circia didn't look angry at all, quite the contrary. Her gaze was soft and she was still smiling.

" _Don't worry, your secret is safe with me,_ " she told her with a nod.

Abby swallowed, fear and anxiety rushing through her.

" _Really Your Majesty I–,_ " she tried to sneak off one more time but the woman didn't let her the time to say anything more.

" _I'm not trying to trick you, Abby_ ," Circia said, squeezing her knuckle softly. " _It's just that I don't get why you two keep pretending when it's so obvious that it's what you both want_ ," she explained with a sad smile at the corner of her lips.

Abby stood still, staring at the woman in front of her, stunned. Circia seemed sincere but so did Lexa just before betraying them…

" _We don't pretend,_ " she asserted firmly, looking at her straight in the eyes.

Circia sighed softly and released her arm.

" _No, you don't,"_ she agreed. " _This is the point_ ," she added with a hint of regret in her voice before standing up. " _You can fool who you want, I don't care, but you shouldn't fool yourself,_ " she advised her gravely. " _I know what I'm talking about,_ " she concluded, her tone filled with the ghost of a time long past.

Abby remained stone-faced, but inside, Circia words were looping in her mind. She lowered her gaze and wondered if the woman was comparing her own love-life to her relationship with Marcus.

" _See you at the dinner,_ " Circia said after some quiet seconds and then walked away, leaving Abby alone with her thoughts.

Around ten minutes later, Abby returned to her quarters, on her guards. She looked at each grounder she passed, wondering if they knew too. Circia wasn't the only perceptive person among the Sun Nation for sure.

As she opened the door, she immediately heard Marcus' voice coming from the bedroom and a relieved sigh passed her lips.

" _It was just to polish our cover and you know it. Don't let Raven get ideas in your head,_ " Marcus' voice asserted firmly.

She didn't need to think twice to know what he was talking about. She froze, her hand still on the door-handle.

" _She doesn't need to,"_ Bellamy's voice answered with a chuckle.

She hesitated a second and then closed the door as quietly as possible.

" _She's the Chancellor and I'm the chief of the guards. We do what we have to do to keep the peace, nothing more_ ," she heard Marcus said as she took a few steps in the main room.

 _Nothing more,_ the words echoed in her minds and unexpectedly they sounded sharped, almost painful to her ears. Her heart looped in her chest and her throat went dry. She knew she should have interrupted them, walk into the bedroom and warn them about Circia but she was pinned in place by her curiosity. They were talking about her and she wanted to hear what Marcus had to say about it.

" _Of course, Sir_ ," Bellamy said and even if she couldn't see him through the curtains, she could perfectly guess the grin on his face.

" _There is nothing between Abby and I, besides, it's nothing of your concern, get it?_ " Marcus clarified vehemently and she felt the tip of an invisible knife dig into her stomach.

She swallowed hard and immediately blamed herself for having believed in something which clearly didn't exist. How could have she been so stupid? Marcus cared about her yes, but like he cared about their people, about everyone. Maybe she had seen what she wanted to see and not what it really was. Something which felt like disappointment was coursing through her, swelling and swelling until it reached the deepest part of her heart and squeezed it, hard.

" _Yes, Sir,_ " she heard Bellamy answered.

" _Great. So if you have nothing more to say you should leave_ ," Marcus told him and she heard some footstep came closer.

An inexplicable wave of panic overtook her at the thought of being caught listening to them. She glanced around the room and started to go back toward the door but it was too late.

" _Chancellor,_ " Bellamy greeted her as he walked in.

Abby winced slightly, wondering if she looked as wreck than she felt right now. She took a second to collect herself and then turned around. Her gaze met Bellamy's and his grin immediately faded away.

" _There is something wrong?_ " he inquired as he took a step toward her.

" _Yes,_ " she said in a breath, nodding as Marcus appeared from behind the curtains of the bedroom. " _Circia knows about us_ ," she explained still looking at Bellamy. " _I mean, she knows that there is_ _ **nothing**_ _between us_ ," she clarified, this time staring at Marcus, her tone more bitter than intended.

" _How?_ " Marcus asked with concern, stepping closer to her.

" _I don't know, she just told me she knew,_ " Abby answered, shaking her head and taking reflexively a step backward.

" _Will she tell the King?_ " Bellamy inquired, crossing his arms over his chest.

" _She said she won't but honestly, I don't know,_ " she told him before letting out a sighed.

Circia looked like she won't but as Abby had just learned it the hard way, it seemed that she wasn't as good as she thought to read in people mind…

Marcus lowered his gaze and started pacing the space, rubbing his beard.

" _So, what do we do?_ " Bellamy asked looking at him.

Marcus bit his jaw and stopped walking.

" _Did she said something else?_ " he asked, looking up at Abby.

" _No,_ " she lied, considering that the rest of their talk was irrelevant. Circia was wrong anyway. Clearly, there was nothing between them.

" _Maybe we should tell them the truth first_ ," Marcus suggested as he rubbed the nape of his neck.

" _We would be screwed anyway, we lied to them_ ," Bellamy pointed out, making Marcus sigh deeply.

" _Then what? We keep pretending and wait?_ " Abby asked with a hint of losing patience in her voice.

She didn't mean to sound as annoyed but right now she was engulfed in a mix of severals emotions. She was mad at herself for having been so foolish, she was disappointed and maybe more than that and she was also extremely worried about what Circia could tell the King.

" _I should go talking to Lincoln, see what he thinks about it,_ " Bellamy said.

" _Yes, do that,_ " Marcus agreed with a serious nod.

" _Okay, then wait for me, I won't be long,_ " he told them and they both nod in agreement.

When the door closed behind the boy, Marcus put his face in his hand and rubbed his forehead. Abby looked at him briefly and then went leaning against the opposite wall, her arms crossed over her chest. Marcus' words were still resonating in her mind, ripping, slashing, tearing her heart again and again and again like they shouldn't have. Why was it so painful? She wasn't even sure that she had feelings for him, or rather not that much…Yes, she liked him. Yes, she cared for him. And yes, she sometimes wondered how it would feel like to be held by him, to be touch by him in a way a Chancellor and her counselor wasn't allowed to but…

" _How did she know?_ " he asked her again after a few second, bringing her back to reality.

" _I told you, I don't know,_ " she said, pressing her lips together in embarrassment.

" _Maybe we overdid it,_ " he wondered out loud. " _Maybe we should have been more careful,_ " he added as he let himself fell heavily on the central couch.

His statement made her frown.

" _Are you saying that I shouldn't have kissed you?_ " she asked him, blinking with disbelief.

Was it really what he mean by we overdid it? Was he thinking that it was her fault? She could already felt a hint of anger rising inside her veins.

" _No,"_ he denied at first but then he seemed to become more uncertain. " _No, I–, I don't know… maybe…,_ " he concluded as he let his gaze traveled across the room.

Her breath got caught in her throat as she suddenly felt angry and hurt at the same time. This time the invisible knife didn't reach her stomach, it reached her heart, right into the center.

" _Don't worry, it won't happen again,_ " she snapped as she clenched her fists, glaring at him.

" _Abby, I don't blame you,_ " he said standing up to come closer to her. " _It's just that you…you surprised me,_ " he said and she couldn't help but noticed how the corner of his mouth curled up as he spoke.

A few minutes ago she wouldn't have thought that it was a content smile, a shy smile which accompanied a pleasant memory but right now… Right know she didn't know what it meant and it increased her bitterness.

" _You kissed me back if I recall,"_ she remained him, raising an accusatory eyebrow at him.

" _Of course I kissed you back,_ " he agreed with an unbearable chuckle, rolling his eyes as he kept stepping toward her. " _What could I do?,_ " he added and this time, the smile on his lips couldn't be read into something else than what it really was.

It was a smile filled with nervousness and hope. Filled with shyness and happiness. But she was already too far, too angry to read into it correctly.

" _Wait. Are you saying that you were forced?_ " she took offense, eyes wide-opened.

This time Marcus stood still and blinked, dazed.

" _No!_ " he exclaimed after a few seconds. " _No. Not at all, I mean I–_ " he said but the rest of his sentence died on the tip of his tongue. " _Abby_ ," he breathed out her name like a plea as he looked at his feet, shaking his head. He swallowed hard and looked up at her. " _What I wanted to say is…I meant that I..,_ " he stammered, visibly more and more ill-at-ease.

" _Don't worry, I perfectly know what you meant,_ " she cut him off dryly, scrunching up her nose.

Marcus' mouth fell open but no word left his throat.

" _I have to change before the dinner, you should too,_ " she declared coldly, pushing herself from the wall. " _Let me now when Bellamy's back,_ " she added as she walked toward the bathroom and disappeared into the room.

Abby slammed the door behind her and leaned against it, blinking back the tears with were filling her eyes.

" _You silly woman,_ " she cursed herself.


End file.
